CAMPAIGNERS and fundraisers took to Weymouth seafront for the town’s first March for Men.

The event was organised by the Weymouth and Portland Lions Club and aimed to raise awareness of prostate cancer.

Each year, 11,000 men in the UK die from this disease, and the death rate continues to rise. Despite it now being a bigger killer than breast cancer, funding and awareness of the condition remains low.

The event supported the Prostate Cancer Charity and was led by Mayor of Weymouth and Portland, Cllr Gill Taylor, following a vigorous warm-up session by Gina Hartley.

Organisers said it was a little chilly during the event on Sunday, June 17, but the weather stayed dry for the walk and the sun even peeked through the clouds on several occasions.

Dozens of walkers set off from the beach, and marched along the Esplanade, with many going as far as Overcombe Corner and back, a route of more than 6km.

Cllr Taylor said: “I fully support this very worthwhile cause.“Lots of Men are reluctant to take the test in the first place, often leaving it until too late, and there is insufficient funding to carry out proper research to improve treatment.”

Lion’s Club President Roger Hogbin added: “We were delighted to welcome the people who supported us, appropriately on Father’s Day. As well as Councillor Taylor, we were fortunate to have the support of Whitehorse Training on hand to provide essential first aid cover.

“All in all it was a good day out, we got the message out and we raised over £1,000 for important research.”

Prostate Cancer UK raises money to fund improvements in diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and support.

The charity claims cases of prostate cancer are set to soar over the next decade. Around one in eight men in the UK will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their lives. Those particularly at risk include older men, men with a family history of prostate cancer and black men.

Many men do not notice any symptoms in the early stages of the disease, but later symptoms include difficulty starting to urinate or emptying your bladder, a weak flow, dribbling urine and needing to urinate more often, especially at night.