REDDITCH businessman Ian Jukes did not think he had any health problems when he and his wife moved to Worcester in 2011.

He felt perfectly well but, as a normal part of moving to a new area, the 56 year-old went along to register with a new GP.

But a routine blood test threw up some shattering news – he had raised Prostate-Specific Antigen levels and prostate cancer.

"I had no symptoms and it was only as a result of moving home it was picked up in my case," he said.

In May 2014 Ian, who runs Praybourne Products, had surgery at the Alexandra Hospital to remove his prostate gland and the tumour.

During his recovery he discovered other hospitals were using hi-tech surgical robots to do the operation, which was a much less invasive treatment.

"I have a 12 inch scar which isn’t a problem personally. I’d rather have my life and a scar that not, but a few small incisions would have meant an easier recovery that having full open surgery.

"It was at least six months before I felt fine and up to 12 months before I felt as though I’d never had the operation."

Now Ian is one of the main driving forces behind the Rory the Robot Campaign to raise £1.6 million to bring a state-of-the-art surgical robot to perform prostate surgery in Worcestershire.

Ian said it was extremely important to him to have his operation close to home so that his family and friends could easily visit him.

"The most important thing is the surgeon, you have to have faith in the surgeon, but from my point of view I wanted the operation in a Worcestershire hospital. I live in Worcestershire and I wanted the support network of family and friends around me," said Ian.

"I think it is important that the men of Worcestershire have this facility available to them."

"We want to get as many people as possible behind this appeal. People can donate money or organise events."

He added that groups like Redditch Lions Club are organising events but individuals or employers could do their own fundraising.

Ideas for events include bike rides, cake baking and sales, golf days, skittles tournaments, charity ball, a sponsored silence and a sponsored run.

Urology consultant and lead cancer clinician at Worcestershire Royal Hospital Mr Adel Makar said the robot surgery would give Worcestershire the entire range of modern treatments for prostate cancer.

"We do surgery here and now radiotherapy but other areas have robots. The robot has been around for about 10 years but very few were available. Now there are more than 50 in the UK but we do not have one in Worcestershire," he said.

"If we had the robot, it would add to our centre of excellence here. The men of Worcestershire would have access to the total package."

He added that it could also attract new surgeons to come and work in the county and there could be the opportunity of training surgeons to use this method of surgery.

The main benefits of using a robot to perform surgery to remove the prostate is less pain, less blood loss, more precise surgery, shorter hospital stay and quicker recovery times.

The Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust launched its Rory the Robot Campaign a year ago and has so far received £52,000 towards the £1.6 million target.

Apart from the robot campaign to improve prostate cancer treatment, the trust is also stressing the importance of early diagnosis.

Unlike some countries, the UK does not have a national screening programme like the ones for breast and cervical cancers.