CHARITIES that stand to receive a huge boost after music legends take to the stage in a field at the back of a village pub have spoken of the difference Rock Against Cancer make to their work.

The fifth Concert At The Kings in All Cannings on Saturday will help the work of cancer charities Above and Beyond, Hope for Tomorrow and Macmillan Cancer Support.

Suzi Quatro, 10CC, Big Country and Marmalade will carry on where other stars such as Brian May and Steve Harley left off to help raise thousands for the causes.

This year's concert will once again feature the SAS band, which this year will include Fish from Marillion, Hamish Stuart, of the Average White Band, and Chris Thompson, from Manfred Manns Earth Band.

Two of the founders of the concert, which was originally planned as a one-off event but has so far raised £112,500, suffer from prostate cancer themselves.

Andy Scott, guitarists with The Sweet, and John 'Grubby' Callis, who is Paul MacCartney's sound engineer, came up with the idea for a concert over a drink with pub landlord Richard Baulu and hoped the concert would have been staged in 2011.

But red tape meant it was 2012 before they saw their dream realised and it turned into such a big success it has become an annual event.

Claire Cosgrove, head of communications and Fundraising at Hope for Tomorrow, said: "This incredible event has contributed to keeping the wheels turning on our Wiltshire Mobile Chemotherapy Units and bringing cancer treatment closer to home for patients across Wiltshire and we are grateful to everyone involved for their support."

Cressida Slater, fundraising manager for Above & Beyond, said: "Thanks to the fantastic support of everyone involved with Rock against Cancer last year, we’ve been able to fund two incredible new research projects into prostate cancer treatments as well as £40,000 towards our Golden Gift Appeal.

"This year’s event is set to be bigger and better than ever, and with your support we can fund even more ground-breaking projects through our Aiming to Beat Cancer fund which will make all the difference to patients across the South West.”

Steven Goodrick, Fundraising Manager Wiltshire for Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “We are indebted to the organisers of Rock against Cancer for their continued support of Macmillan.

"This fantastic event has contributed hugely to the support we have been able to offer in our community and we are indeed very grateful.

"Every day around 10 people in Wiltshire receive a cancer diagnosis and the numbers are rising. We have made significant investments in Wiltshire to improve cancer care and support to people living with and beyond cancer, with the support of Concert at the Kings we can reach many more.”

This year the event's fundraising target is £50,000.

For latest information go to www.concertatthekings.co.uk