Chris Brasher, one of the founders of the London Marathon, has died at his Berkshire home at the age of 74.

Born in British Guiana in August 1928, Chris Brasher was educated at Rugby and Cambridge. It was during his time at Cambridge that he developed his love of athletics and was deemed good enough to be picked for the steeplechase in the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki.

In 1953 he was involved in Sir Edmund Hillary's successful expedition to climb Mount Everest but it was in 1954 that he came to the notice of a wider world. With Chris Chataway, he was one of the pacemakers in Roger Bannister's record breaking sub-four minute mile run at Iffley Road, Oxford.

In 1956, after initially being disqualified, he won gold in the 3000m steeplechase at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, and over twenty years later in 1979, after taking part in the New York Marathon, found the inspiration to organise a similar race for London.

The first London Marathon took place in 1981, when nearly 8,000 runners participated, and it has since become the premier event of its kind in the world, with over 33,000 runners in 2002.

Chris Brasher was awarded the CBE in 1996.