A father-of-seven who was diagnosed with skin cancer last year will run two half marathons, take part in a skydive and tackle an army assault course alongside his six sons in a charity challenge to help combat the disease.

Paul Pullen, of London Road, Addington, has entered his team, called Dad’s Army, into the British Skin Foundation’s ‘It Takes 7’ fundraising event.

The grandfather of three and his sons Ricky, Ryan, Liam, Neil, Leigh and Paul, alongside family friend Nicole Grimwood, 17, will take part in several events over the next few months with an aim of raising £5,000 for the charity, including military-style assault course Tough Mudder .

The 56-year-old builder said: “I wanted to give something back for what the medical staff have done and to make people aware of such a prevalent cancer.

“I was initially diagnosed last year after doctors found an irregular shaped mole on my back.

“Luckily they found it early on and I’m on the road to recovery but many people aren’t so lucky.”

Skin cancer is the most common form of the disease in the UK, with more than 100,000 new cases diagnosed every year and approximately seven people dying every day.

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