HARRY Redknapp is getting behind a cancer charity's mission to raise £600,000 by the end of January 2020.

The former football manager has put himself forward to become cancer support charity Wessex Cancer Trust’s appeal patron.

If the charity does not raise the money by January 31 next year, they face risk of closure.

The charity turned to the public as a "last resort" following financial issues which plummeted the charity into its first crisis since opening 40 years ago.

After an increase in demand for its services this year, they also saw a 65 reduction in people living behind gifts in their will and a decline in their high street shop sales.

It supports around 11,000 people every year through its four cancer support centres across Hythe, Chandler's Ford, Bournemouth and the Isle of Wight, and provide a drop-in service, professional counselling, complementary therapies, activities, support groups and courses.

After hearing of the appeal, Harry visited the Bournemouth centre where he joined a coffee morning and talked to people with cancer about how WST is supporting them.

Harry said: “Sometimes people don’t take action until something affects them directly. Most of us will be touched by cancer at some point and we need to take action now. I’ve been down to the support centre and they do an amazing job helping people who are struggling.

"If you’ve got cancer you can feel really isolated when you come out of hospital and Wessex Cancer Trust is there for them to make them feel better. It’s a life-saving service and we need to make a massive effort to keep it going.”

Wessex Cancer Trust also runs outreach services, a popular Sing for Life choir and transport on its Daisy Buses to help patients get to their hospital appointments.

Harry remained in charge of the Saints Football Club for the 2005-06 championship season but was unable to make them promotion contenders.

Redknapp was tasked with keeping Southampton in the Premier League but did not achieve this, ending Southampton's 27-year spell in the top flight.

He resigned as Southampton's manager in early December 2005 and returned to Portsmouth for a second run.

Harry then went on to manage Tottenham Hotspur, Queens Park Rangers, Jordan and Birmingham City.