A pop star is playing a special gig in a Dorset village to help his childhood friend raise money for cancer treatment.

Chesney Hawkes, singer of number one hit The One and Only, will play a concert in Cerne Abbas to raise money for his former school pal Vic Irvine.

Dad-of-three Vic was diagnosed with lung cancer in June 2021, three days before his 51st birthday.

Upon hearing the news that Vic had stage four lung cancer, Chesney, who now lives in LA, phoned up and asked if he could play a fundraising gig.

The concert, organised by Simon Guy, will take place on July 22 on the barn stage at Cerne Abbas Brewery where Vic is head brewer, having set up the brewery eight years ago.

Vic said: "It was Chesney's idea to do it and he asked me what I thought.

"He's my old mucker and it's really good of him to do it as he's very busy.

"We want to make it a really positive night and we've nearly sold all the tickets already."

The pair have remained friends since they met at school in Sunningdale, Berkshire.

Dorset Echo: Chesney HawkesChesney Hawkes

Despite shooting to fame as a 19-year-old in 1991 when The One and Only spent five weeks at number one, Chesney has stayed in touch with Vic and regularly visits Cerne Abbas to sample the award-winning brewery's beer.

Vic says the staff treating him at Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester have been 'incredible'.

"I've got so much respect for them with what they've been doing off the back off Covid," he said.

"The whole experience has been quite surreal but I've been so well looked after at the Robert White Centre."

Vic is husband to Maddy and father to Sam, 18, Archie, 16, and Mabel, 13.

Support at the fundraising gig will come from Thomas Jules of Rudimental, local musicians That Britpop Band and Cerne Abbas resident Chris Davis.

There will also be a DJ set from Vic's daughter Mabel and food from Papa Cheese.

It is hoped that money raised from the night will help fund some alternative cancer treatments for Vic.

"I have three children, a wife and I love life," he said.

"The money will go towards paying for extra treatments for my cancer.

"In a way organising this has informed people from my life who didn't know I was ill about what has been going on and I've been amazed by how many people have been reaching out to me.

"It's great of Chesney to do this because he still gets a lot of attention although it's amazing that his barnet has somehow managed to go blond again!

"I always give him a lot of stick, he's a great mate."

Tickets for the concert cost £20 and can be bought from the website cerneabbasbrewery.com/events