'When she told me, her voice changed - it just became noise'

A street in the Wirral has dedicated its annual Christmas lights fundraiser to one of its own residents following their battle with cancer.

The tradition began on Templemore Road in Oxton as 'a bit of competitive rivalry' between residents almost 10 years ago, with other residents soon joining in. For the past five years, the street has raised funds for a chosen charity, the Liverpool Echo reported.

This year, the street wants to give back to the Clatterbridge Cancer Charity, as a thank you for how they supported one of their own, Barry Loftus, in his battle with prostrate cancer.

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The 65-year-old, who has lived on Templemore Road for 29 years, started feeling unwell while he was on holiday in Santorini with his friends and family including wife, Joy, 64, and two children.

“We had been swimming in the pool," said Barry. Usually I can take the heat, I love it but I was struggling. I wasn’t ill but wasn’t 100% and my friend told me to go to the doctors and get a full MOT check up."

He said: “I’m usually one of those blokes who says ‘it'll be fine’ and not to worry but when we got back I went and got a check up, because of my age. Then a few days later my son called me and said the doctors had been on the phone and told me I needed to call them back.

“I went back for PSA blood tests and within 14 hours they said ‘we need to speak with you.’ The doctor said they’re not happy with the levels of PSA in my blood and from there I just hit the ground running, I was admitted to Clatterbridge and they started doing tests and I was diagnosed with prostate cancer.”

Barry recalled how being told he had cancer was worse than undergoing the treatment. He said: “When the doctor said I have cancer her voice changed, it morphed into a noise, it was horrible, it was worse than getting the treatment.

"At the time I didn't want to speak to people, when someone says you have cancer you think ‘this is it.’ But I had the support of my brilliant wife who kept me at bay.”

He was 57 when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and since then Barry has undergone radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Now aged 65, Barry said: “I’m seven years on now and I can’t thank them [Clatterbridge Cancer Charity] enough for what they have done. Every six months I go for check ups, but I’m well and I can’t thank them enough.

“I want to encourage people to get checked, the only reason I went was because I wasn't feeling 100%, I didn't get any prostate symptoms and that is what is so scary about prostate cancer, there were no symptoms.”

To thank Clatterbridge Cancer Charity for their work, Barry has decided to donate this year's fundraiser to the organisation. Barry said: “All the outside is decorated and even yesterday (Sunday) when the weather was pouring with rain the neighbours were all out doing the decorations ready for Saturday, I’m dead proud of them.

“Because I’ve had cancer myself and Clatterbridge were so amazing with me, I asked if there would be any objections to donating this year’s money to cancer care and they [the neighbours] said ‘go for it.’"

The residents are officially switching on their lights at 6pm on Saturday, November 23. Each house will hang a QR code at the end of their drive or on their front door, which links directly to their just giving page.