Army captain who died running London Marathon after suffering cardiac arrest three miles from finish line
Paramedics rushed to the scene as Captain David Seath collapsed at the 23-mile mark on Upper Thames Street
THE runner who died while taking part in the London Marathon yesterday has been named as a popular Army captain.
Captain David Seath collapsed after suffering a heart attack in front of onlookers at the 23-mile mark on Upper Thames Street.
Dozens of police and paramedics rushed to his aid and took him to St Thomas' Hospital, where he died shortly after.
His devastated friends are now planning to walk the final three miles and complete the run in his honour.
A fundraising page has also been set up in his memory by fellow Army officers and close friend James Walker-McClimens.
James, 34, said: "He was three miles short of the finish line and collapsed on Upper Thames Street.
"His friends and colleagues are planning to complete what he started, in his honour.
"We will walk as one, the final three miles of the marathon, starting where he fell.
"We're raising money for Help for Heroes, a cause he ran and died for.
"He was our friend and hero."
Captain Seath, from Cowdenbeath in Fife, Scotland, was a Fire Support Team Commander with the 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery.
He gained two Masters degrees from the University of Aberdeen before training at Sandhurst in 2010.
The Army hero was based in Plymouth, Devon and had served in Afghanistan, as well as doing other charity work with groups that help visually impaired veterans.
Before his death he raised around £500 for Help for Heroes by entering the London Marathon and in his final online message thanked his supporters.
Writing on Saturday morning, he said: "A big thank you to everyone that has been so generous and sponsoring me for tomorrow.
";I am sure H4H will be equally as appreciative.
"Every penny counts and to have broken the £200 mark with your help is very special.
"Thank you all so much."
Since he passed away, a further £1,600 has been raised, but this total is expected to rocket throughout the day.
A spokesperson for London Ambulance Service said: "We were called at 1:24pm to reports of a person in cardiac arrest on Upper Thames Street.
"We sent a responder by car and a consultant doctor to the scene.
"We treated a patient for a cardiac arrest.
"They were taken as a priority to St Thomas' Hospital."
The ambulance service plans to release figures about the number of calls they dealt with during the marathon tomorrow.
In 2012, Claire Squires, 30, died near the end of the race, prompting donations of more than £1m to her charity of choice, the Samaritans.
An American College of Cardiology study recently found the risk of sudden death during a marathon is less than one per 100,000 people.
David's friends have asked that any donations be made to this page - .
