GRAND National-winning jockey Bob Champion has been made a CBE for his charitable services to prostate and testicular cancer research.

The Bob Champion Cancer Trust has raised £15million since it was founded in 1983.

The trust raises funds for the Bob Champion Cancer Research Laboratory – part of the largest male-dedicated research facility in Europe, situated at the Institute of Cancer Research in Sutton – as well as for the Bob Champion Research and Education Building at the University of East Anglia in Norwich.

Mr Champion, who hails from Guisborough, admits he was totally taken aback when he was told he was to receive the honour.

“I’m absolutely chuffed to death. It was a big surprise to me,” he said.

“I got an MBE quite a long time ago, when I won the National, but this is for my cancer trust.

"It’s for everybody that works and has been involved in it and for the people that have supported it through the years. They have done so much for me and we’ve got the two research laboratories up and running."

"We’ve got to keep raising the money to run them. Science costs money.

“We’re very fortunate we’ve got some top people working in there – and they are coming up with results, which is the main thing.”

For all charities, 2020 has been a tough year to raise money because of the many constraints of the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s been a struggle this year – every charity is finding it difficult,” added Mr Champion.

“Hopefully, this time next year things could be back to normal.”