A North Yorkshire couple have been honoured as Volunteers of the Year by a national cancer charity.

Sue and John Young, aged 75 and 79 respectively, from Gilling West, near Richmond, were recognised for their exceptional commitment to raising awareness and supporting those affected by cancer.

The duo were named winners in Sarcoma UK's Shining Star Awards, held at Mansion House in London.

Their journey with the charity began after Mr Young was diagnosed with liposarcoma, a rare form of cancer, in 2015. He first noticed a lump on his leg in 2014, which was initially thought to be a benign lipoma.

However, while training for the Great North Run in 2015, his stepdaughter, a doctor, noticed it had grown.

An MRI scan confirmed it was liposarcoma, and an 18cm tumour was removed in 2016. This was Mr Young's second battle with cancer, having been diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2008.

There are only an average of 454 cases of liposarcoma diagnosed every year in England.

(Image: Sarcoma UK) Most read

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Their personal encounter with the disease spurred the couple into action, dedicating themselves to Sarcoma UK's mission and they now regularly volunteer at events like the Great North Run, providing encouragement and refreshments to runners while raising funds for sarcoma research.

Mr Young, a keen runner, has completed the Great North Run 12 times, including twice after his surgery, in aid of Sarcoma UK.

Mrs Young also runs roadside plant stalls to raise funds and awareness for the charity.

The couple, who also suffered the loss of a family friend to sarcoma in 2020, continue to support Sarcoma UK at the Great North Run each year, greeting runners and supplying them with snacks, including Mrs Young’s homemade sausage rolls.

Richard Davidson, chief executive of Sarcoma UK, said: "Volunteer achievements aren’t just about the length of service within an organisation but how the individual integrates the cause into their life.

"The Youngs’ care and passion for Sarcoma UK is evident and they have done so much for us and never ask for anything in return.

"Recently, three generations of the family took part in the Great North Run to raise funds for Sarcoma UK."