BRIDEGROOM Rob Cocker turned his stag do into a fundraiser in honour of his oldest friends, who has terminal cancer.

Rob walked the Dales Way from Kendal to Ilkley in aid of Sarcoma UK after learning his schoolfriend, David Deakin, had the disease.

Rob, 51, who was the founder of the Farsyde in Ilkley, attended Ilkley Grammar School with Dave, whom he describes as "the bravest man I have ever known".

He said: "I have been long-term friends with him and, unfortunately, I had a couple of other friends from Ilkley who had died, so it was heartfelt for me when he said he had this illness that was going to kill him.

"I went to see him and asked if there was anything I could do."

Rob, who was already planning a stag walk, decided to put the event to good use, collecting more than £2,800 and raising awareness of the disease. The group of friends on the four-day walk included Jonathan Cocker and Mark Fiddler, from Ilkley, and Eric Cusack, from Guiseley.

They averaged more that 17 miles a day, and although the walk had a serious purpose, there was still plenty of time for beer!

Rob said: "I have lived all over the world and I have never done anything so entertaining."

When they finally arrived at the riverside in Ilkley, they were greeted by more than 40 people, including David and his friends and family.

Rob said he had wanted his stag to be a bit different, adding: "You get to a certain age and you want to challenge yourself in other ways."

He said Sarcoma is quite a rare form of cancer – making up only one per cent of the total number of cases – and people with the disease are normally given only one to three years to live.

David, who has already fought a different type of cancer, was made honourary captain of Ilkley Golf Club at that stage.

Rob said: "He is the bravest man I have ever known. He tries to fight it with a smile on his face."

Anyone wanting to donate should visit Rob's Stag Walk on the justgiving website.