MEN in East Anglia are being challenged to lay off the booze for a month in the new year to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

The charity is launching its latest fundraising campaign named “Dryathlon” which is urging people to pledge now to give up alcohol in January and raise money for vital research into cancer.

Every hour, more than three people are diagnosed with the disease in the East of England.

So those who are man enough – or woman enough – to drop the drink will be encouraged to get sponsored by family, friends and work colleagues.

Cancer Research UK commissioned a light-hearted survey testing the region’s resolve which revealed some fascinating insights.

According to the poll, men in East Anglia are thought to be worse than women when it comes to giving up alcohol for a month, with 35% of respondents saying women had more self-discipline when it comes to staying on the wagon, compared to just 6% for men.

Jane Redman, Cancer Research UK spokesperson for East Anglia, said: “We wanted to explore the concept of willpower as we launch Dryathlon because we know that getting people in East Anglia to go dry for January is going to be a challenge for some, and it will take an element of willpower to succeed – and our survey highlights some very interesting results for the region.”

To sign up to Dryathlon – or just make a donation – visit cruk.org/dryathlon