A hairdresser from Blackpool has taken up boxing to raise money for charity after her father’s terrifying diagnosis. Samantha Matthews, from North Shore, has stepped into the ring to raise a whopping £1,650 for Prostate Cancer UK after her dad was diagnosed with the disease three years ago.

Last November, 35-year-old Samantha took part in an Ultra White Collar Boxing (UWCB) event at the Village Hotel in Blackpool where she competed against her best friend. Her decision to take on the challenge for the charity was a “no brainer” following her father Roy’s stage three diagnosis.

Samantha said: “It was a real shock when my dad was diagnosed, and I found it very hard to accept. I’m incredibly close to him, he has always been my biggest supporter, so it was very upsetting.