The manager of a Helston charity shop will took 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 so on Sunday completed the Great Bristol Run in a time of three hours and nine minutes.

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."

Melinda told the Packet it was the thought of the cause she was supporting that helped her get around the course.

She said: "Wish it had been quicker but perhaps I should do it next year. Who knows.

"It was very hard when I got to nine miles but another friend rang me when I got to the car park to say she had been watching my Justgiving page as her husband had been diagnosed and just had an operation. This made me even more determined."

In February last year Kurt, who co-founded children's clothing company Frugi, issued an emotive Facebook post about his battle with cancer, 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."

It was his story, along with him appearing almost naked on her Facebook feed, which inspired Melinda's choice of charity.

After the race, Melinda thanked everyone who supported or sponsored her, helping her to raise an estimated £800 for her cause.

You can still support Melinda, at justgiving.com/fundraising/Melinda-King2 or by adding your name to a sponsor form at the Fishermen's Mission shop in Helston or at Andy's Barbers.