A PUNK is hoping that his latest charity gig will double up as a celebration, as he prepares to get the message from doctors he has been hoping for.

Brian Alderson was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2012 and after five years in remission, is now waiting to get the official ‘all-clear’ from his medical team.

He hopes to get good news at his doctor’s appointment this Friday and aims to mark the occasion with a huge punk gig in aid of the nurses who helped him battle cancer.

Since he was diagnosed, he has hosted yearly gigs to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support in the hope of giving something back to those who played such an important part in his life.

On Saturday, September 23 punk bands from across the country will arrive in Darlington for the fourth annual Punk and Oi! Charity Bash.

Bands including The Glory, Citizen Keyne, Tear Up and Boots n All will join North-East acts Boilermaker and Kickback Generation on stage at The Forum from noon.

Mr Alderson, from Darlington, said he had been inundated with support from his fellow punks and skinheads throughout his illness.

He is regularly approached by acts hoping to take to the stage to help him fundraise for Macmillan and, with their support, has raised more than £15,000 for the charity since the first event in 2014.

Mr Alderson is looking forward to being able to celebrate good news with his loved ones at the next gig.

He said: “I am scared and worried at the moment but it will mean the world to me if doctors give me the all-clear.

“I’ve been in remission and just trying to live my life normally but it has been awful to go through all of this, especially when I first had to tell my family and friends, they all cried when they heard.

“I want the gig to be a celebration and if I do get the all-clear, that doesn’t mean I’ll stop putting the gigs on, I’ll be doing them for as long as I’m here.

“The Macmillan nurses have been brilliant to me and my family and I want to do what I can for them.

"The punk scene has been amazing too, they've been like a family to me and shown me so much support over these three years - all of the bands doing this are doing it for nothing."

  • Tickets for the gig, which also features a raffle and charity auction, are £15. To book, call 01325 363135.