A VALE man who successfully won a battle against bowel cancer six years ago is hoping to complete another momentous challenge, as he sets off on a round-the-world trip to raise funds for the charity that helped save his life.

Manuel Queiroz, aged 59, took off from Gloucestershire Airport in Staverton at 7.02am on Tuesday and hopes to complete his 24,000 mile trip around the world, back where he started, in less than 24 days.

Manuel, who lives in Pirton, near Pershore, is taking on the trip to raise money for Cancer Research UK who helped him through the dark days.

He was cheered off into the morning sun by around 40 family and friends including his daughter Natalie and his granddaughter, Eva, who had braved the cold start to the day.

Before setting off he said: "Having survived cancer I am demonstrating you can achieve anything you want to and something like that should not stop you.

"It's been a big task and it's the culmination of three years of my life so it feels marvellous. I'm confident I will do it, otherwise there would be no point in trying."

Along his travels he will take in a number of sights and fly over four continents visiting countries such as Malta, Egypt, Oman, Dubai, Marshall Islands, the Philippines, Kiribati, Hawaii, California, Canada, and his homeland of Portugal before returning home.

As well as raising money for charity, Manuel is also hoping to set a new world record for flying solo around the world in an aircraft weighing less than 1,000kg, in his single engine Van Grunsven RV6 aircraft. In order to do that he will have to better Hans Georg Schmid, who travelled from Zurich and back in 27 days.