ONE of Somerset’s Deputy Lord Lieutenants has revealed he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Clinton Rogers, former Wellington Weekly and BBC journalist, made the disclosure just days after King Charles appeared in public for the first time since his own announcement that he was battling cancer.

Mr Rogers, one of the King’s representatives in the county, said he was grateful that the disease had been caught early and that he is being closely monitored.

He issued a plea to men, especially those over the age of 50, to book themselves in to be checked, for what he said was a “simple, painless process.”

According to cancer research organisation, Prostate Cancer UK, 52,000 men in the UK are diagnosed with the disease each year, that is 144 every day.

Issuing guidance on the risks and symptoms of the disease, the charity warned that it might not always be obvious: “Prostate cancer that’s contained inside the prostate (called localised prostate cancer or early prostate cancer) doesn’t usually cause any symptoms. That's why it's important to know about your risk.

“But some men might have some urinary problems. These can be mild and happen over many years and may be a sign of a benign prostate problem, rather than prostate cancer.

“If you think you might be at risk of prostate cancer or are experiencing any symptoms, visit your GP or speak to our Specialist Nurses.”

For further information, visit the Prostate Cancer UK website.