Wednesfield army vet to take part in 'one last mission' to raise charity cash

William 'Bill' Harley, aged 72, is undergoing precautionary chemotherapy after having a life saving operation in November last year to remove a tumour.

Despite the treatment, which he says is 'going well' he is supporting a charity night at a Wolverhampton restaurant, with funds raised going towards Compton Care and Cancer Research in memory of the owner's wife who died three years ago.

The next day,  Bill  - who served 14 years in the British army  in places like Northern Ireland, Singapore and Malaysia - will sleep out at a cafe and camp site on Cannock Chase called the NAAFI Cafe, an acronym for Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes.

His friend known as Para Jon runs the cafe and Bill is aiming to help  raise 'as much money as possible' from the two ventures after raising around £1,500 when he slept out in his back garden last October, despite being in chronic ill health.

The sleep out featured authentic British Army equipment, with participants surviving on ration packs for 24 hours.

The charity fundraiser will take place at the Namaste Restaurant in Dudley Road Wolverhampton on Friday June 19 and the lord lieutenant and many other invited guests are expected to attend, with the sleep out the following day.

Bill said: "I am a good friend of Bishnu from the Namaste Restaurant who lost his wife to cancer three years ago - the two charities we will be fundraising for on the night are close to his heart and he also does a lot for the Nepalese students who come and work for him part time.

"Para Jon is also a longstanding friend of mine and supported me during the sleepout in my back garden which raised much needed money for The Royal Air Force Association in Wolverhampton and again Compton Care which does so much good work."

"The sleep out was billed as a last act of kindness because to put it bluntly I was close to death and had to have an operation to save my life. It was successful and I am now in remission with the chemotherapy being administered as a precaution to make sure all the cells are gone.

"But whilst I am alive and kicking I will do all I can to help others who have  suffered and their friends and  families after the support I received."