A TEAM of runners are taking on the Colchester Half Marathon to raise money for the Cancer Centre Campaign.

Team Tubby Tut are being inspired to take on the 13.1 miles endurance race by Kev Tuttle, who battled through tonsil cancer.

Team leader Shaunlee Goodwin said: "Kev is a charming and caring man, always likes to make sure that everyone is happy, so to do this run for him is to show our appreciation of him and how we are all inspired by him.

"Through all the hardship, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, having to be feed through a tube and many, many hospital appointments, he came out at the end having kicked cancer.

"We want to raise as much money as we can for the cancer centre at Colchester General Hospital."

Shaunless, 32, of Turnstile Square, Colchester, is a veteran fundraising runner having already completed the Brighton Marathon, the Great North Run and the Colchester Half Marathon.

He has already raised thousands of pounds for charities including Scope and Parkinson's UK.

Now the team of friends and family are hoping to raise at least £1,000 for the £4.5 million appeal to create a new cancer centre.

The runners are Kevin's daughter Georgie Tuttle, Mabel Golding, Anita Golding, Dot Golding, Mel Catantan, Vikki Catantan, Sonja Carter, James Lambourne and Robert Stevenson Shaunlee added: "Some have never run before but we are doing this as a team.

"The Colchester Half Marathon is an amazing event.

"The people of Colchester get behind it and really support it.

"Cancer has robbed us of some wonderful people this year. I think everyone has been affected by it so it would be good to help."

* To support Team Tubby Tut, go to www.virginmoneygiving.com/team/tubbytut.

* To support the Cancer Centre Campaign, which aims to bring all cancer treatments and therapies together in one centre, go to www.cohoc.org.uk.