An Eastbourne man who is in remission from prostate cancer used the world’s biggest classic motor racing festival to tell his fellow petrol heads: it’s time to get an MOT before it’s too late!

A routine check in 2013 revealed Gordon Weston had prostate cancer and after receiving brachytherapy treatment in 2015, he is now in remission.

And Weston was determined to spread the word of Cancer Prostate UK at the Silverstone Classic at the weekend, which saw 100,000 people visit the home of British motor racing over the course of three days.

Weston said: “I wanted to give something back by raising awareness. People are aware of lots of cancer charities but Prostate Cancer UK does not have the same profile and it desperately needs it.

“If you are 50-plus then you should be getting yourself – in motoring terms – an MOT as it is critical and it saved my life.

“I got checked up on a regular basis and then it was discovered that I had prostate cancer but if I had not been checked early then I would not be here today.

“The stand at Silverstone Classic is the first time that the event has had a charity of choice and Prostate Cancer UK should be here for the next two years after 2016 and hopefully it will grow and hopefully the awareness of the charity will grow as a result.”

Weston also competed in one of the races as more than 1,000 of the most valuable and revered competition cars from yesteryear attended the popular event.

There were 10,000-plus vehicles on show in total, including some of the most sought-after and instantly recognisable cars in history, while there were also free fairground rides and other attractions on offer to thrill the whole family.

Weston added: “The Silverstone Classic is an important vehicle for the charity because it hits the right profile. If you look at the people who are generally interested in classic cars then they are people who are a little younger than me and some that are older, and it is the ages the charity needs to raise the awareness with.

“It is important that the charity was here and getting their message across.

“The sad thing is that more than 10,000 men die every year in the UK from prostate cancer and in the afro-Caribbean community the chances of getting it is one in four, and if you have had it in the family then it increases the chances even further.

“With the white community, if you have had prostate cancer in the family then there is a one in five chance of someone in that group getting it.

“It is very much under-publicised considering it is a high-risk cancer and it needs more of a profile.

“And Silverstone Classic is a fantastic place and we had so many people come and talk to us and discuss how it has affected their family.”

Silverstone Classic is the world’s biggest classic motor racing festival and provides flat out family fun. The weekend event features over 1,000 race entries and 10,000 classic cars on display, drawing in 100,000 classic motorsport enthusiasts and their families. Visit www.facebook.com/silverstoneclassic or @SilverClassic for more information.