A BUSINESSMAN has vowed to support Chris Evans after the award-winning DJ revealed that he is having tests for prostate cancer.

Restaurant owner Rob Smith went into partnership with Evans last year but knew nothing of the broadcaster’s health scare until he went public on his breakfast show yesterday morning.

Evans said he noticed symptoms over the Christmas period and scared himself “half to death” researching them on the Internet.

Mr Smith, who runs The Haven in King’s Saltern Road, Lymington, has known the 48-year-old father-of-three for years.

Speaking to the Daily Echo last night, he said: “I will give Chris my full support and help him in any way possible.

“He was down here in early December and looked fine – as fit as a flea – but sometimes you can with these things.

“Whatever happens I will do everything I can to support him and his family.”

Mr Smith is one of Lymington’s best-known figures.

In 2012 he painted a post box gold in honour of Olympic medallist Ben Ainslie, who lives in the town, after Royal Mail bosses initially refused to do it themselves.

Asked if he thought Evans would cope well with any cancer diagnosis he said: “I would have thought so.”

The legendary DJ went public after former Small Faces and The Who drummer Kenney Jones, who has survived prostate cancer, appeared on the Chris Evans Breakfast Show on Radio 2 in support of a charity campaign.

Evans stunned millions of listeners by revealing his own plight.

He said: “Prostate cancer, along with colon cancer of course, is one of the most survivable forms of cancer there is if caught early enough. If not, one of the least.

“It’s a fine line between life and death, happiness and tragedy. And I’ve got to say I’m in the middle of a prostate issue right now.

“I have not been able to stop since Christmas – peeing or wanting to go.

“I’ve gone on the Internet, scared myself half to death, then gone to see the doctor and you should do it the other way round. However, I’m in the middle of tests.”

Evans said he used to be scared of medical tests but had “completely changed his tune” in the past couple of years.

He added: “So there you go.

If you are worried about anything just go and sort yourself out – if not for you, for your family.”