SHEILA Salmon and her family will ‘pound the beat’ of this summer’s Cornbury Race for Life in honour of their beloved husband, father and grampy, Bob.

A former Thames Valley Police area beat officer for Chipping Norton, Mr Salmon died from cancer on October 12, 2007, aged just 58.

The grandfather-of-two cycled 30 miles a day, but was shattered to learn that cancer had spread from his prostate into his bones, leaving him just 12 months to live.

Mrs Salmon, 58, said: “When Bob first started feeling pain we thought it was kidney stones, but it was much worse.

“He was as fit as a fiddle. The shock of learning he was going to die was terrible for us all.

“He had already retired from the police force after 30 years service and was working as a post boy at a swimming pool company in Witney. He loved the job and cycled there and back from our home in Ascott-under- Wychwood each day.

“When we found out there was nothing the doctors could do for Bob he told me he wasn’t afraid of dying – but that he wanted to spend his last months enjoying being with me, our two daughters and our grandchildren, so that’s what we did.”

The couple enojoyed a trip to Cyprus and had planned to take a trip to Lapland with their children and grandchildren.

Mr Salmon died before the Lapland holiday could happen, but made his family promise they would go anyway.

Mrs Salmon said: “Myself, our daughters Caroline and Natalie, and Caroline’s children Chloe and Jack heard about Race for Life in aid of Cancer Research UK and first did it at Heythrop Park in Summer 2007, before Bob died.

“He and Jack watched from the sidelines and cheered us girls on. Bob thought it was absolutely wonderful and Chloe raised £600 in sponsorship.”

Mr Salmon died at Katharine House hospice, Adderbury, near Banbury, a few months later.

Mrs Salmon said: “We all miss him so much.

“We did Race for Life again last summer in his honour and it was deeply emotional but uplifting for us all. We all wore pictures of him in his smart police uniform on our backs and that’s what we will do at the new Cornbury venue this year. We know he is watching us. He is with us all the time.”

Last year, 8,342 women took part in Oxfordshire’s Race for Life events raising £528,552 in sponsorship – which went to help find new treatments at the Cancer Research UK Clinical Centre and John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

This summer there will be two events at Oxford's University Parks on Saturday and Sunday, June 6-7.

The July event in west Oxfordshire, previously held at Heythrop Park, near Chipping Norton, will move to Cornbury Park, near Charlbury, on Sunday, July 26, and will also double in length from 5km to 10km.

To enter, visit raceforlife.org or call 0871 6412282.

dwaite@oxfordmail.co.uk