HE can usually be found on the golf course, but last weekend Steve Smiley could be found at the end of a rope abseiling down Portsmouth’s Spinnaker Tower to raise money for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.

He braved the daunting 97 metres of the metal and glass-sided tower in windy but dry weather in a bid to raise money for Royal Marsden Hospital as a thank you for the nine years of treatment they have given his partner, Jan, since she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Since then her treatment has included scans, X-rays, surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, advice and support, over that time improving the treatment because of the results of continuous ongoing research.

The Royal Marsden organised the abseil and Steve, 69, who didn’t have any training before the descent, set himself a £500 target.

So far he has raised almost £800 thanks, he said, to “family and friends and my fellow golfers at Worldham Golf Club who gave a donation”.

He added that there was probably more to come through his Just Giving fundraising page.

The couple, both retired teachers, moved to Alton nearly 10 years ago and it was in 2009 that Jan received the news that she had cancer.

Steve said: “The amount I have raised is a drop in the ocean compared with the care and treatment Jan has had. It will, however, help with funding further research at this leading cancer care hospital.

“Please give what you can and encourage anyone you know who might want to contribute to help fight cancer, and in particular this condition.”