Two Royston husbands are to take on a charity skydive to raise funds for Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, where their wives were given life-saving treatment for cancer.

John Eustace and Paul Haynes are to fall 15,000 feet out of a plane on Saturday next week to raise vital funds - with the idea thought up while the pair were in the pub.

John, 51, told the Crow: "I wanted to give something back. In Royston we are very, very lucky to have Addenbrooke's on our doorstep.

"We have done cycling fundraisers before, so this time we wanted to do something that would scare the life out of us. I'm not looking forward to it, I'd rather not jump out of a plane - but that's why I am doing it."

John's wife Teresa has undergone gruelling treatment for metastatic throat cancer at Addenbrooke's, while Paul's wife Rachel was also treated for endometrial cancer there.

Teresa started her treatment a year ago, and couldn't eat for eight to 10 weeks because the radiotherapy burned the inside of her throat. She's lost 4½ stone and is still feeling the effects.

John and Paul also sadly lost a colleague - Michelle Watling, from Buntingford - to the disease last month, and John said this has given them "added inspiration". They will include Michelle's name on their shirts in her honour.

John - who is a lorry driver for Sainsbury's - and Paul will be joined in their fundraising challenge by Julian Barber, and Brenda Howe - from Royston - who is raising money for a prostate cancer charity.

Brenda said: "The money we raise will radically help in diagnosis treatment prevention and support with this we can stop prostate cancer from being a killer.

"My father-in-law was diagnosed three years ago and unfortunately the cancer has spread to his bones, so all we can do is managed it and him the best we can because like many men he didn't like going to the GP. We need to make men more aware of the symptoms and let them know it's only natural to talk about what was once called a 'taboo subject'."

John added: "We have raised more than £1,000, but want to double that. I can't wait to have that cheque to present to the hospital."

For the Addenbrooke's fundraising page go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/John-Eustace2 and for the prostate cancer page go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Martin-Howe9.