The manager of a Helston charity shop will take on her first half marathon on Sunday to support the fight against prostate cancer as well as supporting an old friend.

Melinda King, from the Fishermen's Mission shop, set herself the challenge to run a half marathon before she was 50, and on Sunday she will be competing in the Great Bristol Run.

Melinda signed up for the run in February and was casting around for a cause to support, when she heard that her friend Kurt Jewson had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, and asked him if he would recommend a charity.

She said: "I first met Kurt at Flambards, over 20 years ago. He was one of the many general duties lads who used to wait for the extra quarter of an hour outside the clocking in room. So to see him looking ok, but obviously poorly, was a shock.

"I asked Kurt to chose a charity for me, and he chose Prostate UK."

Kurt, who co-founded children's clothing company Frugi, issued an emotive Facebook post about his battle with cancer in February this year, warning younger men to be aware of the symptoms after he was initially mis-diagnosed.

He originally visited his GP in summer 2014 because he had blood in his urine, but was at first diagnosed with a bladder infection, and it was only a year later that it was recognised that he had cancer.

He literally stripped almost-bare to show himself with the catheter and colostomy bag in a bid to make others aware of the illness, and said: “If you have blood in your urine, or any other symptom listed on Prostate UK's website, then get a blood PSA test. Insist upon it."

His story, along with appearing almost naked on her Facebook feed, has now inspired Melinda's choice of charity.

She said: "My feelings at the moment are complete  nerves, I'm worried I will be the last one running, because I know I wont be able to run the whole 13 miles.

"But I will just be doing my best and am grateful for all the support I have had from friends, family and local businesses in the town."

If you would like to support melinda, you can go to justgiving.com/fundraising/Melinda-King2 or add your name to a sponsor form at the Fishermen's Mission shop in Helston or at Andy's Barbers.