A WORCESTER woman has braved the winter cold to raise thousands of pounds for a local cause by shaving her head.

Sue Limrick, who lives in the Tolladine area of Worcester, had her head shaved in front of colleagues and customers at the Spar Commandery Service Station on Bath Road on Friday.

Ms Limrick, who has worked at the store for 26 years, has so far raised £2,600 for the Worcester Breast Unit Campaign, which earlier this month was given the go-ahead for construction to start on the unit at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

"I can't believe how much has been raised, but really it's thanks to our fantastic bunch of customers who have all been so generous. It's been great, because when people sponsor you they tell you their reasons for sponsoring sometimes, and even though I've worked here for years and see some customers all the time, I'd have had no idea about what they'd been through until they told me. It's enlightening."

Ms Limrick said she was inspired to go for the head shave by a close friend.

"My friend is currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer and she is very worried about losing her hair," she said.

"So I just said to her one day that I would shave my head. It has been really good fun. I wasn't nervous in the run up to it, and everyone has been so supportive. The one thing I have noticed since the headshave is how much you feel the cold, but if that's the only thing I've got to worry about then I'm quite happy."

Currently patients being treated for breast cancer have to visit various areas of the Royal for different parts of their examinations and treatments, which can make a difficult time even more stressful. But the new unit will mean as much of this activity as possible is centred in one building, making the experience for patients as easy and comfortable as possible.

Over the past five years hundreds of people have donated money towards the £1.8 million needed to fund the build after a campaign was launched in partnership with your Worcester News.