Commuters in central London were doing a double take this morning when they were greeted by the sight of David Beckham and Diana Ross handing out strawberries to raise awareness about cancer prevention.
But instead of being the real superstars, it was actually look-alikes Andy Harmer and Deanne Keanne, who were at Oxford Circus as part of World Cancer Research Fund’s (WCRF) annual Fruity Friday event.
As well as helping to hand out 4,000 punnets of strawberries, the Real Madrid star’s doppelganger was blending it like Beckham by putting together some tasty strawberry smoothies as the fake Diana chatted to the public.
The event comes as the WCRF teams up with British Summer Fruits to promote the importance of fruit and vegetables in helping prevent cancer, as well as to celebrate the start of the berry season.
And the look-alikes will help get across the message that when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle, there is no substitute for the real thing. This is because up to 40 per cent of cancers could be prevented by eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly.
Ben McAndrew, a designer, of Streatham, said: “When I cam out of the Tube and saw Beckham and Diana Ross there I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was only once I had got my free strawberries that I realised they weren’t the real McCoy.”
, General Manager of the WCRF, said: “I think we fooled quite a few people with our prank today. Hopefully it has helped us get across the message that while Andy and Deanne might be a great substitute for David and Diana, there is no substitute when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle.
“When you think that so many cases of cancer could be prevented just by healthy eating and regular exercise, it brings it home to you how important eating fruit and vegetables is. With the hustle and bustle of commuting into the centre of London, it can sometimes be all too easy to snack on the wrong things, so today was about giving people a helping hand in choosing the healthy option.”
Laurence Olins, Chairman of British Summer Fruits, said: “British Summer Fruits is delighted to support WCRF for the second year in their very worthwhile cause. Everything we do to promote our fruits is aimed at informing and reassuring consumers how good berries are for them.
“Working together gives us access to consumers of all ages – from primary school children to commuters. We are looking forward to building on the success of last year’s campaign and continuing the programme of education. The anti-cancer message is important, and ‘Fruity Friday’ is a key date in our promotional activity this year.’