A radio presenter is fasting for Ramadan in a touching tribute to the mum he lost to cancer 11 years ago who he described as his “rock”.

Sean Dakin, a DJ and producer who presents on Wycombe Sound, is fasting alongside his Muslim friends in a bid to raise cash for Cancer Research and WISE, which represents Wycombe’s Muslim community.

The 28-year-old says he has “personally felt the wrath of cancer” after losing his mum Claire when she was just 48.

Claire was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2005 and given the all-clear in 2006, but she was given the devastating news that the cancer had returned just under a year later – and was terminal.

She sadly passed away on May 20, 2008.

Sean said: “She was my rock. She helped me in so many ways from a young age with various learning difficulties, but also inspired me to follow my dreams which is exactly what I’m doing today.

“We still don’t know to this day how the cancer returned and spread throughout her body.

“We all know of someone who’s been affected by this horrible disease whether it’s a family member, a friend or someone on the news. I hope we will sooner than later be able to save everyone from it.”

Sean credited his mum for being a “great believer in respecting other people’s beliefs and religion, no matter your own” – and he will put himself in the shoes of his close friends and their families and fast during Ramadan.

He added: “I have some very close friends who are Muslim. I attended their mosque back in 2017 for an open evening and was invited back to see the evening prayer during Ramadan.

“One year later I was then challenged to fast for a day during Ramadan 2018. I subsequently posted about my experience to which I received the most heartwarming of responses from the local community in Wycombe and was then invited to the Eid celebrations.

“This was a truly amazing experience to see and be a part of. This has led to 2019 where I will put myself in the shoes of my close friends and their families along with the rest of our wonderful brothers and sisters within the Muslim community in High Wycombe and fast for the whole of Ramadan 2019.”

Sean has set a target of £1,000 to raise for Cancer Research UK and WISE – and added that he hopes his mission will bring the community together.

He said: “With so much negativity in the media surrounding the religion, I feel it’s important than ever to bring people together.

"We are all neighbours in our local community and I feel it’s important to raise awareness of not just the added health benefits of fasting, but also how peaceful the religion actually is in comparison to the side people see in the media.”

To donate, go to www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/sean-dakin-fast2019.