Northamptonshire man to become a charity cage fighter after eight weeks in training

With no training experience under his belt, Luke Howard, 25, of Roade will fight as part of the Ultra Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Challenge - in a bid to raise £250 for Cancer Research UK - after his mum was tested for the illness.

He is rigorously training three times a week for two months before the cage fight at the Park Hotel in Northampton on Sunday, October 22.

He said: "I'm raising money for Cancer Research because my mum had a scare with cancer but thankfully it was only a scare. It raised so many thoughts on what might have happened and it was scary.

"Fortunately I haven't lost anybody to cancer and I think it's because of the work Cancer Research is doing.

"When I had those negative thoughts it made me think of all the people that have truly been affected and I wanted to somehow help do my part."