Nine days into her 27 marathons in 27 days charity challenge and Tenby adventurer Rosie Swale Pope woke up to an emergency.

The 63-year-old grandmother discovered Icebird's welding had broken on Tuesday morning as the result of a hard run the day before in Hastings and cumulative stress of the first eight marathons.

"Brave Icebird was critically damaged during 100 mph storms along the Arctic coast in Iceland in 2008, and has never quite recovered, as shafts bent so often and basic stucture weakened," wrote Rosie in her daily blog.

Faced with her ninth marathon in Maidstone and Icebird crippled, Kent police and Laddingstone Engineering fortunately came to her aid, with the engineering firm rewelding Icebird.

Once fixed, Rosie was on her way and has kept on track, despite the delay, which resulted in her not finishing until after 9 pm.

Rosie reports that once again she has been receiving fanastic support at each of her destinations and generous support for her chosen charities, Ty Hafan, the family hospice in Cardiff, and Helen House in Oxford, the world's first children's hospice, and Douglas House, also in Oxford, the first for young people.

"I am very touched and excited by the support and sponsorship for the charities which is coming in," added Rosie, who ran an extra mile at Cardiff, Bristol and Bath in celebration of everyone who has supported her.

Today (Friday), Rosie runs the London Marathon route, while tomorrow (Saturday) she's at Southend and on Sunday will be taking part in the actual Brighton Marathon.