MORE than 200 men have been tested for prostate cancer during a meeting at Thirsk Racecourse.

Racing enthusiast Colin Peach decided to campaign to raise awareness of the disease after being diagnosed with it in its late stages.

He purchased a racehorse and named it Prostate Awareness, and then joined forces with the Graham Fulford Charitable Trust, which has been offering free Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) tests to male racegoers over 40 at various race meetings over the past few months.

The testing team visited Thirsk at the weekend to offer the tests whilst Prostate Awareness, a three-year-old gelding trained by Middleham-based Patrick Holmes, made its seasonal debut in the one-mile handicap stakes.

Racecourse manager James Sanderson said the response was incredible: “Men were queuing for the test all afternoon.

“I hope that all men over the age of 40 take heed and make sure they get tested. It’s a service their local GP offers. There’s no doubt in my mind that the work being done by Colin and Graham will save lives.”

Racing journalist Tom O’Ryan was one of the first to volunteer for the simple blood test which can provide an early warning of a potential problem.

Prostate cancer affects one in eight men over the age of 50 but the chances of recovery are very good if the condition is detected early.