PEOPLE of all ages and abilities came together at a martial arts weekend to raise over £1,000 for a Basingstoke youngster who was diagnosed with testicular cancer in December.

As reported by The Gazette, brave Popley youngster Jack Bristow, who is now 10, was diagnosed with seminomas, a testicular cancer germ cell tumour, on December 9 last year, and has now undergone his last cycle of chemotherapy and is hoping to get the all-clear from doctors this month.

And Basingstoke Ju Jitsu trainer Tony Bailey gave the brave youngster something to smile when Jack and younger brother Alfie took part in a two-day martial arts seminar.

Around 40 people took part in the two-day event, which pulled in £1,365 for the Jack Bristow appeal, at the Shin Gi Tai Martial Arts Academy, in Jays Close, Viables.

The two-day bonanza, which saw children take part on the first day and adults get involved on the last day, allowed participants to work with a host of renowned martial arts instructors.

These included Anthony Pillage, who is battling cancer himself, Len Dunce, Paul Hamilton and Clare Brown from Summit Judo Club, the current WAKO European Kickboxing Champion Ron Peploe and Roberto Almeida who came all the way from Brazil.

Father-of-two Tony told The Gazette: “It went really well. On Saturday, which was the kids day, we had a lot of different instructors and activities and they went through the whole day.

“Normally you expect them to tire out after an hour-and-a-half but they went on for six hours, Jack and Alfie included, which was amazing.”

The 45-year-old added: “Jack really enjoyed it and the family came back on Sunday and stayed the whole day. I didn’t want to set a target for what we wanted to raise and that wasn’t even the main aim.”

To donate to the Jack Bristow appeal, visit www.justgiving.com/Joanne-Bristow/2.