A MAN who lost his father to prostate cancer has raised £1,600 for charity after taking part in a 26.2-mile walk.

Friends and Southend United fans Bob Mays and Jim Harrington, 61, took part in the Men v Prostate Cancer walk from St Albans Football Club to Wembley Arena to raise awareness of the most common cancer in men.

They joined 73 other walkers and stopped at several football clubs on the way, including Watford and Barnet.

Mr Mays, 62, of Basildon, said: “My dad, Anthony Mays passed away from prostate cancer a year after he was diagnosed as he didn’t know the symptoms of it in 1999 when he was 65.

“It was a really sad time for me.”

Mr Harrington also has five friends that are currently fighting prostate cancer.

Mr Mays said the walk was a great experience.

He added: “I was talking to one man who came down from Scotland to join and another who came from Doncaster. It was a very fulfilling feeling and to have all of our family members waiting for us at the end was amazing. My wife even said I looked like I could do it all again.”

They were thrilled to meet football legend Sir Geoff Hurst, who was part of the team which won the World Cup in 1966, scoring three of the four England goals.

He also called for screenings of prostate cancer to take place for men when they turn 40.

Mr Mays was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2012 and he and his wife Teresa have raised more than £45,000 for various charities, including taking on the Hadrian’s Wall walk and conquering the Three Peaks Challenge.

Both the men were delighted to discover the new Southend United Football Club shirts have Prostate Cancer UK’s logo on them and wore the shirts throughout the challenge.

Mr Mays will soon be taking on another challenge for Parkinson’s UK.

Visit prostatecanceruk.org and donate at www.justgiving.com/Bob-Mays4