A ‘SECRET Millionaire’ businessman is raising money for the boxing club he helped on TV.

Rob Lloyd, a property developer based in Tarporley, appeared on the Channel 4 show in 2009, spending nine days with Belfast’s Cairnlodge ABC Boxing Club, before donating £40,000 towards building their own brand new gym.

Now, two years on, Mr Lloyd is gearing up for the fight of his life to raise even more funds for the club he says is ‘well worth supporting’, as he takes on former world champion boxer Robin Reid at a charity boxing match in Chester next month.

Sporting legends and stars from TV shows including Hollyoaks and Big Brother will be attending a black tie event at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on June 24, where boxers from Belfast and Liverpool will take each other on in eight amateur fights.

Proceeds from an auction, raffle and celebrity meet and greet on the night will all go towards renovating a new Cairnlodge boxing gym.

Tom Dunn, secretary of Cairn Lodge Amateur Boxing Club, spoke of how they will all be rooting for Mr Lloyd.

“Rob has been brilliant with us all along,” he said. “It’s not only the club that he has been good to, he has been very good to me and my son. I would class him as a great friend.

“We will definitely be rooting for Rob on the night. The club could really do with the money.

“We used the money that Rob gave us before to secure land to build a new gym, and getting planning permission,but now we really need funding to actually build a new centre.”

Rob, who has lost two stone since starting training for the match in January, said: “I was very close to Tom and his son Nathan during my time in Belfast – in fact you could say they captured my heart.

“They are passionate about the club and it’s a club well worth supporting. Boxing is a real discipline and it keeps the kids off the street – a well worthy cause to support.

He added: “I’m not in the position I was three years ago financially, so I offered to do this. It is a daunting prospect but I’m very excited!”