It maybe the longest it has taken to complete the gruelling 26.2 mile London Marathon course, but Mr Gorilla proudly pounded his chest as he crossed the finishing line earlier today.

After what must be an unforgettable week, the man dressed as a gorilla was met at The Mall around midday by crowds whistling, cheering and applauding his fundraising efforts in aid of gorilla conservation.

The Metropolitan Police officer, and father-of-two, Tom Harrison , who set off last Sunday (April 23) when the claxon sounded for the London Marathon runners has spent the past six days crawling on all fours.

Watch the moment he edges towards the end of his marathon glory.

Mr Harrison was met by Gorilla Organization executive director, Jillian Miller, chairman Ian Redmond and conservationist and television personality Bill Oddie who presented him with a trophy.

Speaking to reporters at the finish line he said his journey has "highlighted the gorillas' plight" and it was worth the pain.

He said while the going was certainly tough, with the pain from crawling for miles, "it was all well worth it".

"It's been a bizarre week," he said, mentioning highlights included being cheered on by 300 schoolchildren, and support from his followers on social media.

"Above all, it has highlighted the gorillas' plight, all around the world, and the work of the Gorilla Organization," he said.

Crossing the 10 mile mark in Rotherhithe

Asked if he would do it again, Mr Gorilla noted: "I wouldn't rule out doing a marathon again, but I won't be crawling it dressed as a gorilla."

So far he has raised a staggering £25,500 - well above his target of £1,750 - with money still coming in after he completed the challenge.

Mr Gorilla has gained a legion of followers as his heroic attempt has caught the attention of people worldwide, inspiring thousands to give money to help fund the Gorilla Organization's conservation projects in Africa.

Celebrating his unique achievement, Ms Miller, said: "We are immensely proud of Tom.

"What he has done shows just how committed he is to gorillas, having seen them in the wild in Uganda and then dedicated himself to ensuring future generations will be able to enjoy a world with gorillas in it.

"We can't thank him enough for what he has done, and our big thanks to everyone who supported him over the past six days."

Those wanting to donate to the cause can do so by visiting Mr Gorilla's fundraising Page.

Keep up to date with the latest news in west London via the free getwestlondon app.

You can even set it to receive push notifications for all the breaking news in your area.

Available to download from the App Store or Google Play for Android now!