A DAD-OF-THREE is calling on Wrexham football clubs to get behind a project in aid of a cancer charity.

Simon Antrobus, 47, has set up a range of initiatives for Acrefair Youth Football Club to support the charity Prostate Cancer UK and is hoping to get other clubs on board.

These include wearing arm bands emblazoned with the charity's name, selling Prostate Cancer UK badges at home games and setting up an information page on the club's website about the cancer.

Mr Antrobus, whose 10-year-old son Sam plays for Acrefair Youth Football Club, told the Leader: "I support Manchester United and when I watched the football managers at the post match analysis I noticed they were all wearing a badge in shape of man.

"I saw more and more managers wearing it and then celebrities an when I researched I found it is called the 'Man of Men' badge which is for Prostate Cancer UK.

"When I started delving into it more it was quite shocking for me. I started to read how much of a killer it is. More than 47,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year in UK and one in eight men in the UK will get it in their lifetime.

"By 2030 it is set to be the biggest killer of the cancers. When I read those figures it took me back to when I had a cancer scare - I was tested for prostate cancer in my mid-twenties. I didn't even know what the prostate was or where it was.

"The more I was talking to people about this the more I realised a lot of people don't know about it, so I felt I had to do something.

"Acrefair Youth Football Club is a team of boys and I think if we can get the younger generation aware of prostate cancer, as they get older they are not going to be as intimidated or reluctant to talk about it."

The football club has chosen Prostate Cancer UK to be its named charity and any fundraising work the club does will see 20 per cent of all donations go to the charity - the club itself also being reliant on donations to run.

At every home game, at The Bont under Trevor Aqueduct, the club will also sell the Man of Men badges with 100 per cent of the funds going to the charity.

A company called Golden Finishes in South Wales donated £500 worth of armbands with the Prostate Cancer UK logo.

Mr Antrobus, who has two other sons named Joseph and George, said he hopes to gain the support of other clubs in raising awareness of the charity.

He continued: "I would love for every single youth football club in the Wrexham district league, in Wales, in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland to do what we're doing.

"We're also arranging a World Cup themed football tournament in aid of Prostate Cancer UK in June - the date is to be confirmed but we will be contacting all Youth Football clubs to invite them come take part."

To see Acrefair Youth Football Club's prostate cancer information page visit: www.acrefairyouthfc.co.uk/menunited.html