Get Whatever You Want, as long as it’s Status Quo, at March charity disco

Vern Harley vowed that he would repay Macmillan Cancer Support for their help after he was diagnosed with the disease 10 years ago.

And he is now hoping local people will come Down Down to the GER club in March for his DisQuo event this autumn, which will also raise funds for a March youngster living with an unknown genetic condition.

Mr Harley, 54, was diagnosed with tongue cancer in 2005. One of the rarer forms of the disease, cancer charity officials estimate that around 60 per cent of women and just under half of men diagnosed with it will survive for five years or more.

Specialists told Mr Harley the disease had been discovered in time and he received the all-clear two years ago.

But the diagnosis and treatment left him unable to work and caused huge strain on his family. He said: “I had no income whatsoever and my wife couldn’t afford to put petrol in the car to come and see me.

“I broke down in the hospital and a Macmillan nurse said to me ‘Is it the cancer?’

“I explained and two days later, they sent me a cheque for £500. It was amazing.

“I always swore blind when I got back on my feet I’d get them that £500 back and more if I could.”

The DisQuo will take place on October 16 and 17 and will also raise funds for the family of Tommy James, who has a genetic condition known as SWAN (Syndrome Without A Name).

Mr Harley, a construction worker who runs a mobile disco, has applied to Guinness World Records for verification of whether a record will be set for the longest time playing non-stop Status Quo music.

The effort is also being backed by the band, who have donated a signed CD to help the cause. Mr Harley said: “I’ve been a Quo fan longer than I remember. I had the idea and it just steamrollered from that thought.”

A page promoting the event has been set up on Facebook and a fundraising site is also being developed.Email [email protected] for information.