MALE employees of a Pershore company have stripped off for a suggestive fund-raising calendar.

Although they have not gone as far as the Full Monty, the de la Pak workers, ranging from the managing director to shop floor staff, have shed their inhibitions in aid of the Cobalt Unit Appeal Fund.

They have been photographed in a series of tongue-in-cheek poses for the 2003 calendar.

It was the brainwave of company sales executive Melanie Freckleton, who wanted to do something when employees learned a former senior manager of de la Pak had been diagnosed with bone cancer.

Ros Payne, another sales executive with the container stockist firm, said: "He was a much-loved member of staff. Everybody felt they wanted to do something for the charity that helps him."

Mrs Payne said the "models" featured on the calendar had to brave the elements during a day-long shoot in cold, wet weather. "We were very restricted and the poor chaps were frozen, with half their clothes off," she explained.

Managing director Hugh Elliott joined in with the spirit of the project, as "lover boy" for February. He features alongside drivers, the transport manager, sales staff and the purchasing manager.

"There were one or two who like taking the mickey out of themselves," said Mrs Payne. "Each of them was fantastic."

Alan Holder, of the Abbey estate in Pershore, works in the company's logistics department and adorns October's calendar page. He said: "At the end of the day, the cause was brilliant."

He added: "It was meant to be a mixture of fun and frolics, really. It looks ok. For us, it's a bit of a laugh."

He went on: "We hope people will contribute a bit of money towards the charity, which is the main thing."

The calendar was designed by Media House, of Worcester and the pictures taken by dpix Photography of Bromsgrove, both of which provided their services free of charge so more money from sales of the calendar, at £5 each, could go to the charity.

An initial 1,500 have been printed, with advance orders for 100 before they arrive next week.

The company is in temporary premises at Cropthorne, following an extensive fire at de la Pak's Racecourse Road premises in Pershore earlier this year.