A FAMILY is raising thousands of pounds to battle prostate cancer after being hit four times by the disease.

Harvey Powell, of Holland-on- Sea, and his three sons have all suffered from prostate cancer.

Mr Powell and sons Haydn, 65, and Malcolm, 61, survived, but their brother Kelvin lost his fight against the disease when he was 61.

He did not recognise the symptoms in time for doctors to operate.

Now Haydn and Malcolm are staging a 420-mile sponsored bike ride in Kelvin’s memory.

The nine-strong team of cyclists will head to London and then Clacton before finishing at Malcolm’s home in Norwich.

Mr Powell, of The Esplanade, was a “guinea pig” in a medical trial which has kept him alive for the past 20 years.

He said: “If it is caught in time there are many different treatments to control it. If you don’t catch it in time it is very difficult, but there are moremen surviving than dying from prostate cancer.

“The money we raise is to make people aware of it and develop research.”

The week-long ride starts on August 22.

The team has already raised more than £3,000.

Visit justgiving.com/Powellhaydnandmalcolm to donate.