FRIENDS, family and football - the three things that helped get Ian Anderson back on his feet following a diagnosis of cancer.

Although the discovery came as a shock, Ian is now back on the pitch playing in goals with his pals where he belongs.

Now the 57-year-old is to help lead the charge against cancer in Scotland’s biggest city this summer after overcoming the disease.

Dad-of-two Ian was cheered by pals when he first returned to the Partick Thistle Football Fans in Training legends team this summer after a tough 12 months fighting bowel cancer.

Now he’s been chosen as a VIP to sound the horn and send more than 1000 Scots on Cancer Research UK’s Shine Night Walk in Glasgow on Saturday, August 18.

The 10K will see people of all ages and abilities uniting through light to raise money for life-saving research.

It will be an emotional moment for Ian as he steps up on stage to rally the crowd as it will be exactly a year since he received a letter telling him the results of the bowel cancer screening test he’d taken were abnormal.

The bowel screening test - sent through the post to people aged 50 to 74 every two years - is the most effective way of finding bowel cancer early.

Ian, from Newton Mearns, said: “The bowel screening test is a little bit of kit that really could save your life.

"Of course it was a shock at first when I received that letter last August advising me there could be a problem.

"I knew it meant I could have cancer but I also knew how important it was to get treated for cancer early.

"Within 42 days of that letter arriving I was in hospital getting surgery to remove the cancer.

"That was actually the first step on my road to recovery.

“Since my diagnosis some of my football gang who are also over 50 have asked me about the bowel screening test.

"I’ve encouraged them to take the test the next time it comes through their door.

"I’ve returned to work, football and life is good again thanks to that test.”

New figures show 55.6 per cent of Scots eligible for bowel cancer screening took up the offer between November 2015 and October 2017, below the target of 60 per cent.

Those living in the poorest areas were less likely to take up the offer of a test, at 42.3 per cent compared to 65.3 per cent in the wealthiest areas.

But a new test, called FIT which was introduced in Scotland last November is hoped to lead to more people returning the test as it’s easier to complete.

Ian first started playing football regularly in 2015 by signing up for Football Fans in Training, a 12 week healthy living and weight loss programme affiliated to Partick Thistle.

The course proved such a success that the group decided to continue training every Tuesday night.

And the friends he met there were a great support when after a colonoscopy test and scans at the New Victoria Hospital in Glasgow Ian was diagnosed with cancer last September.

They even fixed up for a "good luck Ian" message to go out across the tannoy at a Partick Thistle versus Motherwell game before Ian’s treatment began.

On Friday, October 13 last year at the Queen Elizabeth University hospital in Glasgow, Ian endured six and a half hours of surgery to remove the tumour in his bowel.

It was a nerve wracking wait for Ian’s wife, Cathy, 59, and his sons, Ross, 32, and Craig, 31.

But the operation was a success and all of the tumour was removed.

Ian said: “I’m so lucky to have a wonderful wife, family and very close friends who made everything so much easier.

“They kept my spirits up. My two-year-old grandson John who lives just around the corner kept me smiling if ever I wasn’t having such a good day.

"One look at his face made everything seem okay again.”

Ian started on six months of chemotherapy tablets in November.

It was a huge boost on May 18 this year when Ian rang a special bell at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre to mark the end of treatment.

Now Ian, who is clear of cancer, has returned to his job at the Royal Bank of Scotland and plans a trip to London this autumn to celebrate his wedding anniversary.

Ian who has been a Partick Thistle fan since his first visit to Firhill aged 10 is looking forward to getting back in to fitness.

Money raised at the Shine Night Walk will help Cancer Research UK scientists find new ways to treat cancer and save lives.

Participants can choose to raise money for the area of cancer research closest to their hearts, selecting from 12 different areas of scientific research.

These include prostate cancer, testicular cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, brain cancer, children’s cancers and leukaemia.

Or they can simply give their backing to Cancer Research UK’s overall work.

Entries are still open for the walk on August 18 at 9pm, which starts at the Scottish Event Campus.

The 10K route crosses Bell’s Bridge, passing BBC Scotland and STV headquarters.

Participants will then pass back over the River Clyde and along the Broomielaw then up to George Square and past Glasgow Cathedral and landmarks including the Duke of Wellington statue outside the Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow Cathedral and Strathclyde University.

The route will also pass Cancer Research UK flagship shop on Queen Street before heading back to the River Clyde and the finish line.

Susan Johnstone, Cancer Research UK’s national event manager in Scotland, said: "We need everyone to sign up and start fundraising towards research that will bring hope to people affected by the disease.

“Participants can choose to complete the course at their own speed, from a leisurely stroll to a lively stride or a full-on power walk.

"The atmosphere promises to be unique as Glasgow unites in the fight against the disease."

To enter Shine Night Walk, visit www.shinewalk.org

To find out more about how to reduce the risk of cancer and detect it early, visit cruk.org/spotcancerearly