Musician begins 110-mile walk for cancer awareness

Mike McGrother was accompanied by members of male voice choir Infant Hercules

A musician will visit towns and villages along a 110-mile route as he encourages men to open up about cancer.

Mike McGrother will be joined on his 10-day walk by friends, fellow musicians, charity workers and cancer surgeons.

The Teesside man said the "ultimate aim" of his trek is "for men to feel they're not on their own".

Accompanied by members of his male voice choir, Infant Hercules, he began walking along the Cleveland Way on Wednesday.

'Male pride'

For at least one member of Mike's pub choir, the journey is a personal one.

Lee Bainbridge was diagnosed with an incurable form of blood cancer in 2020.

He is now on life-long treatment and says he does not know what his future holds.

"When I was first diagnosed, I don't know if it's a male pride thing, but I denied it," he said.

"At first, I buried my head in the sand and didn't want to talk about it.

"When it all got too much, I called Macmillan Cancer Support and that really helped me."

The choir after setting off on their musical journey along the Cleveland Way

The journey will see Mr McGrother call in at cafes, pubs and community centres to talk to men affected by cancer.

He said: "Men tend to walk a lone route a lot of the time, although we might not admit it.

"If we can help one man think, 'I need a bit of help with this', then great.

"But we're going far enough to meet quite a few men along the way."

Musician Mike McGrother is well known on Teesside

The hike will see Mike and friends travel through rural and farming communities, where traditionally fewer men access cancer services and support groups.

They set off from Helmsley, and plan to reach Filey in North Yorkshire next week.