FRIENDS and colleagues Carl King and Tom Barkham are hoping to take a swipe at cancer when they take part in a charity white collar boxing match next month.

Carl, 37, and Tom, 28, will be proving they can both pack a punch when they take part in the event at the MECA on June 13 in aid of Cancer Research UK.

The friends, who both work at Swindon Motaquip in the Techno Trading Estate, decided to sign up to the challenge after reading about it on social networking site Facebook.

Tom, of Shaw, who also works as senior cover supervisor at St Joseph’s Catholic College, said: “It’s a charity boxing event in aid of Cancer Research.

“A few weeks ago I saw an advertisement on Facebook that was showing a white collar boxing event.

“Boxing is something that has always interested me and something that I would always like to have tried.

“I love watching it and I always wanted to give it a go but I have never really had the time.

“I just never really had the opportunity to give it a go before now.

“There is an eight-week training course which we started last week and which will take us all the way up to the match.

“I have been accepted to box and will be raising money for Cancer Research.

“We all know someone who has somehow been affected by this horrible illness, whether directly or indirectly, and I would like to raise as much money as possible to help the charity in finding a cure.”

The pair both aim to raise around £500 for the cause.

“We have to raise a minimum of £50 each to take part but we’ve both set ourselves a target of £500,” added Tom.

“I’ve raised £220 so far and Carl has raised £130.

“We’re just trying to raise as much as we can really.”

So far Tom said the training has been intense with all the novice boxers put through their paces.

“The first training night was on May 5 and I’m still aching,” he said.

“I think it was far more intense than even the trainers thought it was going to be.”

Carl wanted to use the event as an opportunity to get fitter as he tried to quit smoking.

“I quit smoking on April 27,” said Carl, of Wroughton.

“So far it has been going okay, but looking forward to the boxing match helps.

“I just thought it was a good way to get fitter as well as raise money for charity.”

To show your support for Carl, sponsor him at www.justgiving.com/Carl-King2.

And for Tom, visit www.justgiving.com/Tom-Barkham.