A cricket fan from St Ives is planning on visiting all 18 county cricket grounds in England and Wales inside 36 hours ro raise money for Bowl Cancer UK and Down’s Syndrome Association.

Paul Cox, 53, a bowel cancer survivor, will take on the challenge with fellow cricket fan Neil Brown from South Cambridgeshire.

The challenge will start at 8am on September 3 in the Emirates Durham International Cricket Ground and finish 1,000 miles later at Lord’s, in London, at approximately 7pm the next day.

Paul was diagnosed with bowel cancer aged 48 in early 2010.

He said: “I had an operation very quickly after diagnosis. Subsequent tests revealed it was Stage 3 and so eight months of chemotherapy followed.”

“I have been fortunate, so far, to be successfully treated. I am almost five years in remission, however, this is not always the case as too many people are unaware, as I was, of the symptoms of bowel cancer or told that this is an ‘old person’s disease, with the correct diagnosis being delayed until the cancer is too advanced for successful treatment.”

Every year, 41,500 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer and around 16,000 people die of the disease. Bowel Cancer UK is determined to save lives and improve the quality of life for all those affected by bowel cancer.

Donations, which will be split between both charities, can be made to Paul and Neil’s Virgin Money Giving page: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/Owzat

The journey:

Day One

1. Durham

2. Yorkshire

3. Lancashire

4. Derbyshire

5. Nottinghamshire

6. Leicestershire

7. Northamptonshire

8. Worcestershire

9. Warwickshire

10. Glamorgan

11. Gloucestershire

Day Two

1. Somerset

2. Hampshire

3. Sussex

4. Kent

5. Essex

6. Surrey

7. Middlesex