I do not believe that is what Roy would have wanted

Professor Ray Donnelly

Staff at the Liverpool-based foundation, are said to be "astounded" by the move.

Mrs Castle is understood to have been upset when her close friend Sheila Ingham stood down as chief executive of the charity last October amid allegations of financial irregularities.

'Sad day'

A statement on behalf of the charity said: "Today is a sad day in the history of the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation.

"It is with deep regret that we have been advised by Fiona Castle, widow of Roy, that she is withdrawing her support from the charity and has requested that her husband's name be removed."

Fiona Castle has toured the world raising money for cancer research

The running of the foundation was criticised by the Charity Commission earlier in the year after an investigation into allegations that Sheila Ingham was making personal use of funds.

The charity appointed a new management team which has since spent the "very difficult" past 12 months putting the setback behind them.

Fundraising manager Irene Trevorrow said: "I cannot believe Fiona would do this to us and withdraw her support from the cause that we have battled for together for so long.

"So many people have loved and respected her that it will be a devastating blow for them and the team at the foundation."

Founder and medical expert Professor Ray Donnelly said he was "very disappointed" with Mrs Castle's decision and said: "I do not believe that is what Roy would have wanted."

Mr Castle died of lung cancer in September 1994. In the last months of his life, he threw all his efforts into the Lung Cancer Foundation - set up in Liverpool in 1990 to build the world's first dedicated lung cancer research centre.

Lung cancer rises

His 1200-mile Tour of Hope in 1994 - when it was clear that the 61-year-old had little time left to fight the illness - attracted nationwide support for the charity and earned him the title of Freeman of the City of Liverpool.

When he died a few weeks later, Fiona stepped into his shoes and toured the world raising money for the research centre.

Her announcement comes just a day after it was announced that lung cancer had overtaken breast cancer as the main cause of death from the disease among British women.

A Cancer Research Campaign survey published on Tuesday showed deaths from lung cancer had risen by 36% in the last 20 years, with 12,765 women dying of lung cancer in 1999, compared with 12,677 from breast cancer in England, Scotland and Wales.