SUFFOLK Olympic hero Stan Cox will save at least one fifth of his forthcoming trip to Helsinki after Evening Star readers pledged money to fund his visit.

SUFFOLK Olympic hero Stan Cox will save at least one fifth of his forthcoming trip to Helsinki after Evening Star readers pledged money to fund his visit.

Stan, 84, is revisiting Finland later this month 50 years after he was part of the British team which took part in the 1952 Olympics.

Last month, the Star told Stan's story and asked if anyone could help fund the £600 he must pay to take part in the 50th anniversary celebrations.

Stan said: "After the article went in I came home from work to find a cheque for £100 from the Conservative Club in Felixstowe.

"I've worked there for 20 years and when I came home from work it was waiting for me on the mat. It's a nice surprise and I really appreciated the kind gesture."

Added to that donation is one of £20 from of all things – a fellow Olympic athlete.

Michael Read, who lives in Sproughton, took part in the 1960 Olympics in Rome originally travelling as the third member of the 4 x 200 metres swimming team. He eventually ended up as the reserve for the team in the final as the team took fourth place.

Michael, 61, who later became known as a cross channel swimmer said: "People have always been extremely generous to me when I've needed help so I saw this as the chance to help out a fellow Olympian."

The two donations have raised £120, exactly one fifth of the cost of Stan's trip to Helsinki

Stan collapsed while running the marathon at the 1952 Olympics, but four years earlier he had finished in seventh place in the 10,000 metres.