RETIRED surgeon Malcolm Morrison won't forget hearing the telephone at his house in Swindon ringing at 5am.

It was his 31-year-old son Ashley calling from Perth, in Australia, to break the news that he had testicular cancer.

"It was shattering," said Mr Morrison."If he had been telephoning to say he'd had a car accident it wouldn't have been surprising.

"But you don't expect to hear your fit son, who plays football, cricket, squash and golf, telling you he has cancer."

Ten years on Ashley has written a book, laced with humour, about his illness and treatment.

He was lucky. One of his doctors told him if he had the cancer a few years earlier, before advances in the chemotherapy had been developed, he would probably have died.

His book, Please Sir, Can I Have My Ball Back, drives home the message men should check their testicles and see their GP if they notice any change.

His advice is endorsed by his father who has a few copies of the book, published by Australian firm Hybrid Publishers.

"Luckily my son took my advice and went to see his doctor when a swelling in didn't go down," he said.

The family had lived in Swindon since 1966 and Ashley worked for Advertiser before going to Australia.

Cancer facts

CANCER of the testis mainly affects men in their 20s and 30s and it is estimated that one in 100,000 will get it.

If diagnosed early it is now one of the most treatable cancers.

Overweight men, those who reached puberty early, and men whose mothers or sisters have been diagnosed with breast cancer have the greatest risk of developing the disease.