Research doctor Chris Sutton is swapping his white coat for a wetsuit as he takes the plunge once again for the Telegraph & Argus Bradford Crocus Cancer Appeal.

Dr Sutton who works at the Institute of Cancer Therapeutics at the University of Bradford has already abseiled down the side of one of the city’s highest buildings to help the appeal reach its £1 million goal for the discovery and development of new cancer medicines.

The Telegraph & Argus is working closely with the university, Yorkshire Cancer Research, Sovereign Health Care Charitable Trust and great public support to reach the target.

Dr Sutton has so far raised £400 but hopes by braving the wild waters of Lake Windermere this month and then Salford Quays in July, he will bring in even more sponsorship.

On Friday he will swim two miles in the Great North Swim in Windermere. he had done the challenge three times before but only for one mile.

Then on July 19 he will swim one mile in the Great Manchester Swim. He said: “The Crocus Appeal is close to my heart because I will be the one operating the piece of new equipment we are raising the money for.

“The research world we work in is very fast moving. When we bought our current equipment eight years ago it was state-of-the-art but the new equipment we need now would be 100 times faster.”

Anyone who wants to sponsor Dr Sutton can donate by visiting his fundraising page at justgiving.com/ Chris-Sutton5 Last month Dr Sutton was one of more than 50 people who tackled an abseil from the top of the Jury’s Inn for the Crocus Appeal, battling wind and rain and being cheered on by an enthusiastic crowd.

Now staff at Jury’s Inn have decided to choose the Crocus Appeal as one of its charities to support this year and are doing a 100-mile walk.

The hotel’s general manager Dan Siddle said: “We’ve got ten members of staff each walking ten miles round Bradford on June 20. We got involved with the abseil and we think it’s a great cause so we want to stick with it.”