Nottingham group stages 'run past' for terminally ill mum

A group of runners made a terminally ill woman "feel like a queen" as they ran past and waved outside her home.

Monica Williams, 86, regularly looked forward to waving at the runners from her kitchen window before she became unwell and was admitted to hospital.

After her health deteriorated, she requested to return to her home in The Meadows, Nottingham, to receive end-of-life care.

On Monday, the running club held their last run-past for Mrs Williams.

Her son, Bob Frake, had been part of the social running club with his son, and they both planned a route that happened to pass Mrs Williams's house, which started the trend of waving at her as they passed.

Mr Frake said: "She'd say it would make her feel like a queen. Even though there were only 20 or 30 of us, she used to say there were hundreds.

"I just wanted to make her feel like that for one more time."

Mr Frake asked the club organiser and Nottingham running shop owner, Rob Pruszak, if they could stage one last run past Mrs Williams's house, and Mr Pruszak helped orchestrate the "magical moment".

About 130 runners surprised Mrs Williams when they stopped outside her home, cheering and clapping.

They also presented her with flowers.

"It was one of those magical moments that you won't forget. And as a family, we took comfort from it as well," Mr Frake said.

He added: "It was just five minutes of people's time that made all the difference to someone."

Mrs Williams died in the early hours of Thursday, her family said.

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