A CANCER sufferer has raised cash to help a nine-year-old boy repair his grandad’s memorial, which was trashed by yobs.

Dad-of-one Matt Innes, 31, is keen to fix or even replace the bench at Garon Park golf club, Southend, dedicated to skin cancer victim Mark Wilson.

He read in the Echo about how it was targeted by vandals, leaving Mr Wilson’s grandson Taylor Burton absolutely heartbroken.

Mr Innes – diagnosed with Follicular Non-Hodkins Lym-phoma, a slow developing cancer, last December – will use some of the cash raised through a charity golf day in aid of the Lymphoma Association.

Because of his diagnosis, Mr Innes, who lives in Athena Close, Southend, with wife Julie and five-month-old daughter Freya, decided to raise money in case he needed the association’s help, and decided a golf day and evening of entertainment would be a good start.

The event, at Garon Park, raised more than £3,500.

Mr Innes is particularly keen to use some of the cash to help Taylor’s family, as his nan Janice Wilson, 51, and his mum Paula Burton, 33, have also both been diagnosed with cancer within the last two years.

Mr Innes said: “I was disgusted by what happened to the bench. Taylor seems like a lovely lad and his family have clearly been through it in the last few years.

“Taylor’s nan has lymphoma, which is what I suffer from, and the coincidences of it all, me holding the day at the course where the bench is and where Taylor himself plays, made me want to help.”

The news of the donation was welcomed by Mrs Burton, of Northumberland Crescent, Southend, who has now thankfully been given the all clear from breast cancer.

She said: “This is such a nice gesture, I’m a bit overwhelmed really.”

Taylor added: “I just want to say thank you so much, I’m really pleased.”

Police still want to hear from anyone who saw anything suspicious at the golf course, off Eastern Avenue, between 4.30pm on Sunday, June 19 and 4.30pm on Sunday, June 26. If you have information you should call police on 0300 3334444.