Golfer Gary Wolstenholme has received the all-clear from doctors, following surgery to remove a cancerous growth in his neck.

The former Leicestershire amateur, who turned professional last year, was devastated when told late last year that he had skin cancer.

Gary was already raising awareness of the disease before his diagnosis, working as an honorary patron of Karen Clifford Skin Cancer Charity (Skcin).

Earlier this week, he got the news he had been hoping for – the results of a biopsy showed all traces of the cancer had been removed. Doctors told Gary, from Great Bowden, the operation was a success because the cancer was caught in its very early stages.

The 48-year-old said he was "delighted and relieved" when he found out.

He said: "I'm very pleased. I feel very lucky they were able to get it as quickly as they did.

"It was only a few millimetres across and I had the operation within a month. If it hadn't been spotted, if I'd left it a few years, I would have had to have had a significantly more major operation.

"They wouldn't have been as likely to get it all out and there would have been a bigger chance of it spreading."

Gary has competed for Great Britain and Ireland in six Walker Cups against the United States, and was England's most-capped amateur before he turned professional in the autumn.

Next month, he will take part in a major seminar on skin cancer awareness hosted by Skcin at The Belfry golf club, near Sutton Coldfield.

He said: "I appreciate how fortunate I have been and would urge everyone to use a strong-factor protective cream.

That's if you're outside for any length of time – whether or not playing sport – and even if it is overcast. I was an honorary patron of Skcin before my diagnosis, so it is extraordinary how it worked out the way it did.

"Now I want to make sure that people, especially youngsters, have much more information about skin cancer so they don't have to go through the same thing as me.

"I've been incredibly lucky, but that's only because it was spotted. That's why we've all got to be aware."

Nationally, there has been a dramatic increase in cases of skin cancer in the past few years.

The Leicestershire county golf first team was sponsored last season by Skcin to raise awareness of this increase.