Pete Richardson, from Leiston, near Southwold, terminally ill with cancer, releases Another Christmas

A Suffolk musician with terminal cancer has released a Christmas single in aid of charity – and has already raised thousands.

Pete Richardson, 71, of Aldringham, near Southwold, penned Another Christmas five years ago, and has decided to release it to support East Anglian Children’s Hospices (EACH).

He describes the song, which is available on all platforms, as ‘a story of love and hope’.

Mr Richardson has set up a separate JustGiving page for donations and it has raised over £3,000 at present, and all the royalties from sales of the song will go to EACH.

“I’d almost given up but it’s something I’ve wanted to do for so long and I wasn’t going to let cancer stop me,” he said.

“This is going to be my last Christmas, so I decided it’s now or never; I actually wrote the song five years ago and hoped it would be performed by a big star like Michael Buble.

“I wrote to him but unfortunately that didn’t happen, so I performed the vocals myself and we’ve managed to get the single out in time for Christmas.

“I hope this song – a story of love and hope – helps make a difference and makes people smile – I’ve tried my best.”

Pete, a former taxi driver, started his life in music as a drummer, and thought himself too shy to be a singer or frontman. He started writing music when his brother, John, formed The Rubettes in the 1970s, who had a number one with Sugar Baby Love, and Pete has since written more than 50 songs.

He continued: “I love being in a studio and it’s a place to forget all your cares and worries; nothing else matters, at that moment in time.

“I can’t read music and wouldn’t know one note from another, however I know how it should sound and I’m very proud of the catalogue I’ve produced.”

The video for Another Christmas was filmed around the Alms House and chapel where he lives.

It was recorded at Arcade Studios, in Rayleigh Essex, and produced by friend Pete Booker, whose wife Sarah provided the backing vocals for the track.

Pete’s brother John also appeared in the video, and he said: “He’s getting a few plays on the radio and raising some money with JustGiving.

“He’s always been a writer and a singer but just not has such good health the last few years.

“He has recorded dozens of his own songs but never relased one; when he found out he was dying I insisted he put out the Christmas song to give him something to live for and it has.”

His nephew Scott played the accompanying bass for Another Christmas.

Ali Butler, Senior Community Fundraiser for EACH, said: “We're incredibly grateful for Pete's generosity; it's such a beautiful, emotional song and we hope that the public support him in his efforts to raise as much as possible for EACH.

“We hope it's a massive success for both him and us as he truly deserves it."