A MODERN-day adventurer is taking time out from travelling the globe to help a Worcestershire fundraising organisation raise money for cancer research.

Colonel John Blashford-Snell OBE will recount tales from more than 100 expeditions at a fundraising dinner at Worcester’s Sixways stadium on Friday, November 14 arranged by the Wyre Forest committee of Cancer Research UK.

Col Blashford-Snell has racked up an impressive list of achievements throughout his life, including taking part in the first descent of the Blue Nile river in Ethiopia in 1968 – during which he accidently invented white water rafting – and a complete navigation of the Congo River in 1974 and 1975.

He also founded the Scientific Exploration Society in 1969 and is planning to travel to the Indian state of Assam and the untouched Osa Peninsular in Costa Rica.

Speakers at past events include songwriter Sir Tim Rice, TV presenter Chris Tarrant – who created 1970s children’s favourite Tiswas alongside the committee’s chairman Peter Tomlinson – and film critic Barry Norman.

The event’s organiser Chris Dale said the committee hoped to raise £10,000 with the dinner.

“Col Blashford-Snell promises to be a superb speaker with a wealth of fascinating tales and anecdotes to draw upon from his adventures spanning almost 50 years,” he said.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to listen to one of the world’s most highly respected explorers and help raise much-needed funds to research cures and treatments for one of the biggest killers of our times.”

Tickets for the three-course dinner are £50 each and can be booked on 01562 823 825.