The owner of a pub in Ipswich is raffling off a signed Ipswich Town football shirt to fundraise in support of Ipswich Hospital after his own cancer diagnosis.

Liam Robb, 40, a married father of four who lives at his pub The Mermaid on Yarmouth Road, was diagnosed with head and neck cancer in November last year.

Ipswich Star: The signed shirt to be won on SundayThe signed shirt to be won on Sunday (Image: Liam Robb)

Mr Robb has already raised £500 and will be selling the tickets throughout the week up until Saturday at the pub and the winner of the shirt will be revealed on Sunday.

He said: “I’ve been off for three months with head and neck cancer. The pub has supported me and the Ipswich Cancer Department has supported me so I thought I would do something for the staff at the Ipswich Hospital.”

Fortunately, Mr Robb caught his cancer early and has been looked after by the Wolverstone Ward.

He said: “I found a lump in the side of my neck and most people would just play it off, but I went to the doctors and that’s where it all started.

“I had no other symptoms other than a little lump in my neck.

“I managed to catch it early. If I hadn’t have gone to get it checked it could have spread everywhere.”

Mr Robb added that the treatment is going well and said: “I’m feeling really good. I’m back to normal and I’m back at work and I’m just waiting on a rescan in a couple of months’ time and everything is looking very positive and that’s obviously thanks to the staff.”

He is hoping to push towards £1,000 and tickets are going for £3 at the pub.

The 40-year-old added: “You’ve always got to remain positive, try to see that there is always light at the end of the tunnel and definitely always go to get yourself checked if you find any suspicious lumps.”