Fundraisers for Macmillan Cancer Support are inviting Gloucestershire businesses to help raise enough money to fund two new Macmillan professionals.

Every day in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire, 26 people will hear the devastating news they have cancer, and 12 people will die from the illness.

A fundraising party of more than 200 supporters from across the country will be walking the 297-mile Macmillan Way in an attempt to raise £108,000 for the charity.

The route, starting in Boston in Lincolnshire and ending in Abbotsbury on the Dorset Coast, will take in Lower Slaughter, through Rendcomb and over to Tarlton.

The challenge is being led by South West law firm BPE and spearheaded by lawyer Rob Bryan.

Rob (pictured) was inspired to launch the campaign after his mother and a close friend were cared for by Macmillan Cancer Support.

Rob said: "We will be walking through Gloucestershire on Saturday, 15 July to Sunday, 16 July, travelling from Lower Slaughter through Rendcomb before ending up in Tarlton.

"It would be fantastic to see as many people as possible from the area come out and join us for a small part of the route.

"We really are rallying support from across the country. It's very exciting and so great to see how passionate people are about Macmillan Cancer Support.

"Any level of support would be hugely welcome. We are encouraging individuals, parish councils, small fundraising groups and businesses in a position to offer corporate sponsorship to get in touch and find out how they can help.

"I am very committed to people being treated with dignity throughout their lives and especially at the end of their lives.

"Macmillan Cancer Support made a profound difference to my mum and to our family."

Macmillan Cancer Support help people living with cancer in Gloucestershire and across the UK, receive essential medical, practical and emotional support.

In 2015, the charity reached two million cancer patients through Macmillan Services.

In addition to these patients, Macmillan helped many more carers, family members and friends, reaching 5.8million people in total.

There are currently 21,900 people living with cancer in Gloucestershire alone and it is predicted that by 2030 that number will more than double to 43,600.

Catherine North, fundraising manager for Macmillan in Gloucestershire, said: "Macmillan works tirelessly to support people in Gloucestershire living with cancer, and their families, but resources are tight.

"We rely heavily on donations from the hard work of fundraisers such as BPE and Rob.

"Please, if you can join in the walk and help fundraise, any level of support would make a huge difference to Macmillan and to the people that we support."

For more information about how you can get involved, visit www.macmillanwalk.uk  or email macmillanchallenge@bpe.co.uk .

For donations, visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/MacmillanWayChallenge.