Four weeks before his daughter’s wedding, Michael Sellars thought he might miss it.

The 68-year-old from Liverpool had been diagnosed with bowel cancer and feared he would be stuck at home recovering from surgery instead of walking his daughter Emma down the aisle in Mallorca, Spain.

But he was offered less invasive precision robotic surgery at Aintree University Hospital in Merseyside. The hospital said he was the first person in the UK to undergo the procedure.

Sellars said he was “stunned” by how quickly he recovered.

“I was told the operation would take around four hours, with the right side of my bowel being removed, as this was the area where they had found a suspicious growth,” he said.

“Considering the seriousness and complexity of the operation I’m stunned by how well I have recovered.

“Within just two weeks of being home I was going on fairly long walks with my wife and even thinking about going out for lunch in town with friends.”

Sellars, a father of three and grandfather, said he was “proud to have played a small part in helping make this surgery available to more people”.

He added: “But most importantly, I would really encourage everyone to take up the offer of bowel cancer screening. I had no symptoms at all, and it was only through the routine test that my cancer was found.”

Professor Shakil Ahmed, who led the procedure, said: “It means a great deal to know that our work has helped give Michael, his daughter and their family such special memories to treasure for years to come.

“We are constantly looking for new ways to provide not only the very best care, but the support post-surgery that our patients and their families deserve.”

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