Mr Murray, a mechanical engineer with plant specialist Hewden's of Immingham, bought the tractor as a wreck and refurbished it so he could raffle it to raise money for the Daisy Appeal, a research fund run by Castle Hill Hospital, in Cottingham, near Hull, where he had treatment for throat cancer.

Ticket sales so far have raised £6,000 and the tractor will be on show, and raffle tickets on sale, at a farm machinery auction being run by Brown & Co. at the Old Foundry in Brigg, North Lincolnshire, on Thursday. Mr Murray, 60, had three operations at Castle Hill last year. He said: "My first plan was to restore a classic car but then I came across this tractor, at a sale in Chester, and bought it for £700."

Mr Murray, who lives in Habrough, near Humberside Airport, with wife Lucy, a Marie Curie nurse, took the 'Fergie' on a tour of agricultural shows this summer before donating it for the raffle.

The draw will not take place until January 10 and tickets can be bought by calling Pauline Speed on 07779 398488 or emailing pspeedie@aol.com, or email charleymurray1@ btinternet.com