Runner, 78, who became the face of the Boston attacks after he was caught on camera being knocked off

The elderly runner in the orange vest who became the face of the Boston attacks when he was knocked down by the blast yards from the finish line told how his legs 'just started going like noodles' and he fell to the floor.

Television viewers feared the worst when they saw footage of Bill Iffrig, 78, of Lake Stevens, Washington, crumple to the ground with the force of the first explosion in the Boston Marathon.

But as runners scattered and emergency workers ran in to help, Mr Iffrig, a retired mason, staggered to his feet and managed to cross the finishing line.

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