THE family of a man who fought back from cancer earlier this year are hoping to have raised £6,000 for charity to say thanks for the care he received.

Ken Dearden, 52, of Earnsdale Close, Darwen was given the all-clear in April after a 10-month battle with bladder cancer.

During the past six months Ken, along with wife Gwyneth and son Craig, has organised several fundraisers which will culminate in a charity dinner, at Darwen Golf Club this evening.

Tickets sold out two months ago because of the support of friends and family who admired Ken's bravery, and at least 17 of Ken's friends and business colleagues have pledged £100 each to the appeal.

He said: "support has been overwhelming and we are hoping to raise around £6,000 altogether from the various events.

"Craig did really well and ran the London Marathon in four and a half hours. He was sponsored for that and my wife is in training and being sponsored to run the Race for Life in Blackburn next week.

"We are already up to nearly £4,000 and expect to raise another £2,000 at the dinner. We have a singer to entertain the 101 guests and people have donated some really good auction prizes.

"The money will be split between Cancer Research UK, Cancer Relief UK and Lasers for Life, which is another cancer charity.

"It's a way of thanking people for the care I received and raising awareness of the charities. Hopefully it will be a good evening tonight.

"I've been given the all-clear now so whatever I die from it shouldn't be that now, although I would hope that's a while off yet as I'm only 52."

Ken was diagnosed with bladder cancer last June and underwent an operation at Beardwood Hospital but after checks doctors discovered the cancer had spread further than they thought.

He then had to undergo a nine-hour operation at Blackburn Royal Infirmary in August to try to remove the cancerous cells, which he later discovered had been successful.