In a statement, the organisers said: “Steve, who was 45 and lived in Bingham, Nottingham, was a very experienced runner who had completed many marathons and finished on Sunday in 2:53:26.

“All involved in the organisation of the London Marathon would like to express sincere condolences to Steve’s wife Jess, his family and friends.

“A fundraising page for the Multiple Sclerosis Society has been set up in Steve’s memory. The cause of death will be established later through medical examination.

“The family has asked for privacy and no further details will be released in accordance with their wishes.”

Steve’s wife, Jessica, expressed her grief in a post on Facebook. She wrote: “It’s with great sadness, that I wish to announce the loss of my wonderful husband, Stephen Shanks.

“His passing was sudden & out of the blue. He was returning home having spent the day participating in the London Marathon. As you can imagine I’m absolutely in shock & devastated.”

A fundraiser in his honour has shared a separate tribute. It read: “Steve was a keen runner never happier than running anything, from his local Parkrun to the Bob Graham Round.

“But he was more than just a runner he was a musician, a knitter, and a renowned quizzer possessed of extensive knowledge of terrible pop music [sic].

“He was a loving husband and soulmate of his wife Jess, treasured son and son-in-law, and a much-loved friend. He will be greatly missed and always in our hearts and memories.”

The fundraising page, set up to raise money for the Multiple Sclerosis Society, has now raised over half of its £2,500 target.

It said the search for new treatments and a cure for MS “was a cause close to [Steve’s] heart because a number of his close friends have MS”.

The page, the link to which can be found here, added: “More than 130,000 people in the UK have MS. The MS Society is here for every one of them, through the highs, lows and everything in between.

“There is no cure, but we offer hope for the future by investing millions in research, and help for today through our information, support and campaigning. Together we are strong enough to stop MS.”

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