Tom Willson never thought that after having brain surgery to remove a tumour last month he would be cycling 30 miles to raise money for charity only five weeks later.

The former Hatfield GP who lives in Beaumont Avenue, St Albans, is cycling 30 miles this Sunday in aid of The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery at Queen Square in London where he had his operation.

He was astonished by the quality of care he received at Queen Square and said: “It was tremendous, from the top neurosurgeons down to the hospital porters. The quality of the nursing care was especially brilliant. I was discharged from hospital only four days after my operation.”

Tom, who has previously had abdominal surgery and chemotherapy for cancer, is due to have radiotherapy to eliminate any remaining tumour cells from the site of his brain surgery.

With 28 friends and family members, he has formed Tom’s Cyclists who will be covering distances of up to 40 miles to raise money for the hospital’s National Brain Appeal. Tom said:“I thought that cycling would be a good test of my recovery from surgery and also to show cancer sufferers that the quality of cancer treatment these days is excellent and that it shouldn’t stop people doing things what they want to do”.

Anyone wishing to sponsor Tom should visit www.virginmoneygiving.com and search under Tom Willson.