Cancer debt: Former police officer owed £26,000 after diagnosis

A former police officer who was diagnosed with terminal cancer has spoken of his despair after racking up debts of £26,000.

Mark Harrigan, 55, who lives in the New Forest in Hampshire, has been using credit cards to pay his day-to-day bills.

He says he never had money worries in the past but the debts piled up as he was unable to work.

According to research by Macmillan Cancer Support, every year 400,000 people living with cancer struggle to keep up with their bills as a result of their diagnosis.

After Mr Harrigan spoke to the BBC, the credit card companies involved have written off the £26,000 he owed.

Details of organisations offering information and support with debt are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline, or you can call free, at any time to hear recorded information on 08000 564 756.

You can see more on Inside Out on BBC One in the south of England at 19:30 on Monday.