A TERMINALLY ill former pop star has released a new track from his death bed.

Peter Juster hopes the download version of Poles Apart will become a posthumous hit and raise funds for a campaign to save polar bears.

As a teenager in the late 1970s, Mr Juster, from Worthing, sang with The Same, a Mod band who were regulars on the circuit around London and Brighton.

The trio, of Mr Juster, Steve Rose and Tony Denyer, enjoyed limited success until their single, Movements, was chosen by Radio 1 DJ Simon Bates as his Record of the Week.

For a brief spell they were on the cusp of stardom but despite a recording and management deal they could not build on their overnight success and eventually went their separate ways.

However, the group reunited for a special recording in Mr Juster’s home after he learned he was losing his battle against lung cancer.

The story of their collaboration for Poles Apart is now told on YouTube and theargus.co.uk.

In the short film, Mr Juster, his breathing aided by an oxygen tank, reveals his dying wish.

The 57-year-old said: “Having survived the prognosis of terminal lung cancer three years ago, I’ve now been told I’ve only a few weeks left. I’ve been lucky because I have had plenty of time to get my affairs into order, say all my goodbyes and nearly complete my bucket list.

“As you get nearer to the end, you get to appreciate and value life more. In a few days I will die and I want to leave behind me a legacy. I think the coolest animal is the polar bear. But it, too, is losing its battle against climate change and I want to do something to save it from extinction. Please help me in achieving my last goal. Thank you.”

The money raised through sales of the download single will go to the Yorkshire Wildlife Park Foundation’ s Polar Project. Steve Minion, founder and chief executive of Yorkshire Wildlife Park, has been friends with Mr Juster since 1991.

He said: “Peter’s living on borrowed time but, typical of the man, he’s thinking about saving polar bears instead of worrying about his own fate.

“He has shown by his deep generosity of spirit that he will always be a star to those who’ve been fortunate enough to know him.”