TWO Blackburn businessmen are jumping in at the deep end to raise money for local cancer charities.

Ashley Bradburn and Karl Eastham are setting out on Monday to canoe the 120-mile Leeds and Liverpool Canal, even though they only took up the sport five months ago.

The money raised will initially go towards a new blood pressure testing machine for the Royal Preston Hospital where Mr Bradburn's five-year-old daughter Freya spent a week over the last Christmas and New Year period with a rare blood disorder.

Although doctors could not diagnose exactly what Freya's condition was she had to undergo blood transfusions and is now fully recovered. However, the experience prompted her father into action.

Mr Bradburn, 41, of Clayton-le-Woods, said: "My daughter became ill with a blood disorder and we spent five days in the ward at Preston with her.

"After that I had been in and out of the Manchester Children's Hospital and saw all the kids there and it really got to me.

"I asked Preston Hospital whether there was any charity cause close to the ward or anything they were desperate for and they came up with the blood pressure machine.

"They said if they could raise £1,650 that's what they would buy so this is what we are doing."

Neither of them are canoeing enthusiasts, instead they have undergone a crash course in canoeing to take up the charity gauntlet that starts from the Leeds end of the canal.

Mr Bradburn is head of family business Partwell Limited that specialises in plastic engineering in the Daisyfield area, while Mr Eastham, 41, of Ewood, runs joinery firm Ellison and Groom, based in Mill Hill.

Both are members are of the Blackburn Greys Round Table 883, made up of businessmen.

The Blackburn Greys have long been involved in charity fundraising in the town and regularly organise the Christmas sleigh.

As such, the chairman of the club has made the Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Fund, part of the Manchester Children's Hospital, as their main charity for the year.

"We've set up a blog for the trip at 4-blood.blogspot.com and any money raised over the initial target will be donated to Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Fund," said Mr Bradburn.