A COUNCILLOR and former logistics manager from Oxfordshire are spreading awareness of prostate cancer by dressing in drag.

Mike Breakell and Malcolm Potter are two of ten men picked to take part in the first Great Drag Race.

They were followed by a film crew while they prepared for the 10.2km race in London Fields, in Hackney, last Saturday, with the aim of persuading 1,000 more men to don a dress and join the fundraiser.

Former logistics manager Mr Potter, 62, of Clarkes Court, Banbury, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in October 2009.

He underwent a radical operation at the Churchill Hospital for the complete removal of the prostate in January. Mr Potter said: “I think men need to be aware of it, I have been very lucky and I don’t see why other men shouldn’t be so lucky.”

He added: “The women in our life are the most important people and it’s not only the men but women as well who need to look after their men and get them to do something about it.”

Mr Breakell, who is a West Oxfordshire district councillor, became involved in the event after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer five years ago. He has had an operation to remove the cancer, along with radiography treatments, and still has regular check ups.

The widowed father-of-one said: “We all know that blokes don’t talk about these things. Women are so good — the breast cancer campaign is so organised, you get 15,000 women running around Hyde Park for it — but blokes don’t do that sort of thing. That’s the problem really, if you don’t talk about it, it can lead to all sorts of difficulties.”

Oxford Brookes teacher Mr Breakell, 69, of Finstock, has used events with Charlbury Morris Men, of which he is a member, to publicise the awareness drive and has also spoken to thousands of men at Millwall Football Stadium.

The idea for men to dress in drag for the race came about from the idea of ‘dragging’ the issue of prostate cancer into the forefront of people’s minds. It will be a distance of 10.2k as 10,200 men die from prostate cancer every year in the UK.

Sponsorship money will go to Prostate Cancer Research Foundation and the Prostate Cancer Support Federation.

For more information, visit thegreatdragrace.org