HOLMFIRTH man Carlton Mellor is no stranger to tackling tough challenges in the name of charity.

Mr Mellor, 67, has done a bungee jump, two parachute jumps and several abseils to raise cash for cancer nursing charity Macmillan Cancer Relief.

He has also worked for the charity's Holmfirth fundraising committee for 24 years and is its current chairman.

Despite having a triple heart bypass several years ago, Mr Mellor loves performing daring stunts to support Macmillan.

He did his first bungee jump in Holmfirth nine years ago.

He followed it up with parachute jumps and abseils from the Humber Bridge - twice - and from the Huddersfield University tower, the McAlpine Stadium and the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television in Bradford.

He was awarded a medal from Macmillan patron the Duchess of Kent five years ago for his fundraising work.

Mr Mellor said: "I enjoy extreme things. The parachute jumps were wonderful.

"The bypass hasn't slowed me up.

"Raising money for Macmillan is important to me, especially as my sister died of cancer when she was 50 and my father-in-law also died from it.

"It is a terrible disease and affects one in three people."

Mr Mellor's family support his efforts, but find his extreme stunts nerve-wracking.

His wife Mary said: "I think he's a bit mad. It's something I couldn't do."

Mr Mellor's sister-in-law, Barbara, nominated him for the award.

She said: "Any fundraising and he is there. He's still as busy as ever."