CHEEKY members of a Rawdon sports club have raised thousands of pounds for charity by agreeing to grin and bare it.

They stripped off to pose for a calendar that is selling fast in aid of Leukaemia Research.

Men and women members are pictured in various unlikely poses - including in a sports car and enjoying a naked drink.

The calendar was the brainchild of Anna Cole, a barmaid at Rawdon Golf and Lawn Tennis Club, whose mum Fay Marston died in March, aged 42, after a two year battle against the disease.

So far sales have raised £3,000 for the charity, with copies being posted as far away as America and Australia, but Anna and step-dad Rick Marston hope to have made £10,000 by January thanks to supporters at the club, who revealed all in memory of Fay.

Anna, 22, who is training to be a teacher, said: "People didn't need too much persuasion to strip off, although it was the women who were more bashful than the men.

"We took over the club for a whole weekend.

"It stayed open for business as normal but members were told what was going on so no one would get an unexpected surprise.

"Fortunately, we had a warm weekend to do it."

Fay and Rick, who had five children between them, had been married seven years when Fay was diagnosed with Leukaemia. Rick, who runs a specialist toy and bear shop in Rawdon, said the diagnosis was a sickening shock for the family because the illness 'seemed to come out of the blue.'

Fay designed her own bear collection and after she died a New Zealand bear artist designed a teddy in her memory. Only 42 were made and just one has been left unsold.

The proceeds from the Fay bears have also gone to Leukaemia Research and have raised almost £1,500.

But the last bear that Fay made before she died is missing after thieves raided Rick's Marston Miniatures shop in Harrogate Road in October.

The bear, which was being auctioned for charity and had already attracted a bid of more than £300, has not been recovered, despite searches on the internet.

Now Rick gas given up hope of ever seeing it again.

Anna said: "Doing the calendar and other bits of fundraising has helped keep us busy, but when it all goes quiet I suspect that's when it'll hit us again that mum has gone.

"At least for the time being we can feel as though we are doing something worthwhile.

"People have been so supportive of us."

l The calendars cost £10 each and are available by telephoning Marston Miniatures on (0113) 2029212.