A COUNTY Durham man has raised £3,000 for cancer research after learning how to box.

Malcolm Langley, 59, from Seaham in County Durham, took part in an Ultra White Collar Boxing [UWCB] event in Durham to raise money after losing a friend to cancer last year.

Mr Langley, who trained at the Unity Gym in Durham, said: “I signed up and I am so glad that I did. It was a fantastic lifetime experience from start to finish. I had never been in a boxing ring in my life, but I was expertly coached from a total novice to be able to box and actually won my fight at the ripe old age of 59.

“Boxing for such a great cause as Cancer Research UK is in my top three life experiences along with getting married and seeing my daughter born.”

The events are run to give people with no boxing experience the opportunity to train in a safe environment and have raised more than £5million.

Mr Langley raised £3,000 and is the 13th highest fundraiser of more than 41,500 people.

Emma Hallas, from Cancer Research UK said: “While they’re out fighting in the ring our researchers are fighting cancer in the lab and working to find kinder treatments and a cure for this devastating disease.”