A MAN who survived colon cancer is raising money for staff at Royal Bournemouth Hospital who helped care for him.

Paul Jenkins, 55, from Ferndown, was diagnosed with colon cancer in January 2016 at the age of 52.

Paul said he felt something wasn't right when he started to experience a "dull achy pain" beneath his lower right rib in October 2015.

He said: "Most folk would probably have ignored it and I could easily have done the same had it not been for the fact I was losing weight which I could not explain."

He then went to see his GP, who referred Paul for an ultrasound scan at Christchurch Hospital which revealed he had a thickening of the gall bladder.

Still losing weight and suffering with the dull pain, his doctor arranged for Paul to see a consultant at Royal Bournemouth Hospital before he was referred for a gastroscopy and an abdominal CT scan.

Paul said he was then asked to attend an appointment to see a consultant in December 2015 where he was told that a growth measuring around four-and-a-half centimetres had been discovered on his ascending colon.

In January 2016, it was confirmed by colonoscopy that the mass was cancer and in February 2016, Paul had his ascending colon and gall bladder removed during a hour-hour operation.

Fortunately, the cancer was at stage one and had not spread to his lymph nodes meaning he did not require any chemotherapy.

Now Paul is on a mission to raise £5,000 towards Royal Bournemouth Hospital's Ward 16, which specialises in colorectal surgery.

He is planning to sea kayak over 200km as well as carry out other fundraising activities.

Paul said: “I am raising funds for Bournemouth Hospital Charity to enable me to give something back to Ward 16. The fantastic medical teams who looked after me are an integral part of the NHS that look after all of us on a daily basis 24/7. Their professionalism and dedication is unwavering despite all the challenges they continually have to face."

He has already raised more than £2,200 towards his target and to make a donation, visit justgiving.com/fundraising/rbhward16