FRIENDS of terminally ill James Baker were stunned when they managed to raise £4,500 to help pay for treatment they hope will extend his life.

A big party was held at Bottelinos in Swindon with hundreds of people turning up.

“It’s astonishing,” said Scott Jacobs, who runs the restaurant with his brother Luke.

“The amount of people that came through the door shows how much he is loved.

“He knows. He is very tired. He got back from Germany last night and started texting a message to be read out at the party but he fell asleep.”

James is due to head out again in a couple of weeks to resume treatment.

Scott said he and Luke, who have been friends with the 26-year-old old for several years, had worked hard over the past couple of weeks to stage the event with a lot of help from other people who had sold tickets, collected donations and offered prizes.

“Everyone chipped in,” he said.

Money was raised through tickets, donations, profits from the bar, a raffle and an auction for a three-night stay at an apartment in Marbella.

“All in all it was great, a really good event,” said a delighted Scott.

James, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2014, underwent three operations and gruelling bouts of chemotherapy before he was given the all-clear.

But then he was told the cancer had not only returned, but it had spread to his lungs, chest and stomach.

Further tests revealed it had spread to his brain and doctors told him there was nothing more that could be done.

However he discovered a German clinic offering alternative hyperthermia treatment using high temperatures that can kill and damage cancer cells. It is currently being used in clinical trials. He decided to go for it in the hope that it might stop the cancer from spreading.

Just hours after an online fundraising campaign had started James, from Westlea, had raised £5,000, this week it stood at a whopping £25,000. His target is £30,000.

The fundraising campaign continues next month with a family fun day at Charrins Bar and Grill in Royal Wootton Basset on October 15 and another fun day hosted by Luke “The Duke” Watkins at Lydiard Park Academy on October 2.

Anyone wanting to donate directly to help pay for James’s treatment do it online at gofundme.com/bakemanalternative