A comedian has set off on a quest to visit 100 Edinburgh Fringe shows in 24 hours to highlight the Stand up to Cancer campaign.

Joel Dommett was inspired to take on the challenge after his father was recently given the all-clear from prostate cancer.

He set off on a rickshaw at 12pm on Thursday and will spend the next 24 hours popping into shows ranging from stand-up comedy to contemporary dance across the capital.

Mr Dommett aims to visit one show every 15 minutes and will draft in friends and festival goers to help him on his way.

Joel DommettComedian Joel Dommett will visit 100 shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 24 hours (Jane Barlow/PA)

He said: “I’m really excited, but also terrified at the same time, to take on this epic challenge for Stand Up To Cancer.

“I’m hoping my friends and their wonderful audiences will help me out a bit, and fingers crossed I’ll be able to get around to all 100 shows in time.

“Who knows what state I’ll be in by the 100th show, but I’ll be reminding everyone that it’s all to raise money for lifesaving research. Surely, any half-asleep visits will be forgiven!

“It’s going to be an intense 24 hours but I’m going to be thinking a lot about my dad to get me through it. It’s thanks to research that he’s still here so I want to do everything I can to support Stand Up To Cancer’s work.

“Stand Up To Cancer funds research to find new and better treatments and tests for cancer patients. Research is just so important and I’m really excited to be doing my bit to support it.”

Stand Up To Cancer is a joint national fundraising campaign from Cancer Research UK and Channel 4 which raises money to accelerate cancer research.

Since it launched in the UK in 2012, more than £38 million has been raised and over 40 trials and projects have been funded, that involve more than 10,000 cancer patients.