THEY are the father and son duo who are gearing up to take on the ride of their lives.

Colin Old and his 24-year-old son Jamie will cycle the same 117 miles as the world famous riders of this year’s Tour de France to save men’s lives.

But what makes their challenge even more remarkable is that Colin is battling prostate cancer and will undergo life-saving surgery when he returns to the UK.

In defiance against the disease, the 57-year-old will take strength from his son to push his limits to raise awareness of the disease that kills one man every hour in the UK.

The dad-of-two is now calling on the county to back his fundraising drive for the Prostate Cancer UK event to save lives.

He said: “Prostate cancer is the most common cancer found in men and without donations, the support I’ve received from the charity when I've felt most vulnerable would not have been possible.

“I want to say to people that it’s okay to talk about it. I’ve talked a lot with my sons. Generally men feel uncomfortable talking about it, it’s seen as a man thing, but burying your head in the sand and ignoring it, won’t beat it.”

Colin's world was turned upside down when he was diagnosed with cancer in December last year.

Two years earlier he discovered by chance he had a high prostate-specific antigen (PSA) count when he applied to be part of a clinical trial for his genetic disorder familial hypercholesterolemia.

“I went through all the motions when I was told I had cancer. I felt ‘why me?’ and you immediately think about all the things you could leave behind. I started to think of my sons and what happens if dad isn’t around anymore?”

Colin and his oldest son Jamie had always shared a passion for cycling together after family rides in the New Forest as children. But when Colin struggled to come to terms with the diagnosis and painful symptoms, he gave up his hobby.

However when he heard about the Prostate Cancer UK ride called the Grand Départ Classic 2016, he was determined to not let the disease beat him and decided to get back on his bike.

“As young lads we’d take the boys cycling in the forest

The pair, who have so far raised more than £1800, leave Bournemouth today (THURSDAY) and head for the bike ride which is this year’s opening of the Tour de France, setting off from Mont Saint-Michel Abbey in Normandy and ending at Utah Beach, one of the D-Day landing beaches.

When Colin returns to Poole, he will undergo a radical prostatectomy - surgery to remove his prostate.

Colin, a quality manager for the RNLI, “Not just Jamie but my youngest son Lewis and the whole family and community have been amazing. I feel choked talking about their support. Suddenly you realise what is important.

“Cycling for me is all about freedom, losing myself in it, forgetting the pressures of every day life and spending quality time with my son. I know it will give me the strength I’ll need for the surgery when I come back and knowing I’m helping others makes all the difference.”

To support Colin and Jamie go to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Jamie-Old

This summer the charity is calling on men to unite to fight prostate cancer.

For information search prostatecanceruk.org/menunited