A diary charting the rise to fame of members of a WI near Skipton - who posed nude for a fundraising calendar - has been turned into a book.

More than two years ago, Tricia Stewart began a diary to release her emotions as close friend John Baker fought cancer.

When John, a former Yorkshire Dales National Park officer, died, Tricia and her friends decided to raise cash for leukaemia research in memory of him.

Tricia, 52, and ten friends from Cracoe WI, including John's wife Angela, posed nude for a calendar, thinking they could raise a couple of thousand pounds.

In fact it was the start of an adventure which rocketed the middle-aged women from their homes in the Yorkshire Dales village into the international limelight.

The calendar took the nation by storm and raised £350,000 for leukaemia research in Britain and a further £150,000 when it was reproduced in America. Now plans are under way for the story to be made into a film.

Throughout it all, Tricia kept the diary of her extraordinary double life - one day at her village home in Cracoe, the next in New York mixing with celebrities to promote the calendar.

The women were feted across the world, appearing on television and radio and even being chosen as Women of the Year.

Tricia said: "I started the diary when my daughter Lizzy travelled abroad and then John became ill. They were close so I sent her

e-mails and messages about his progress.

"I continued to keep the diary on the computer when we launched the calendar and recorded its amazing success.

"When the publisher, Workman, decided to produce the calendar in America I met their publicist Diana Holmes, who read my diary and encouraged me to turn it into a book.

"I can hardly believe it's happened. I'm so thrilled and excited.

"The book is essentially about me and my feelings and emotions and what happened during this amazing time," she added.

The roller-coaster ride has still not stopped.

Later this month Tricia - who is Miss October - and her husband Ian, 52, will travel to Seattle with Angela Baker, 54, (Miss February), Linda Logan, 57, (Miss July) and her husband Terry, 61, who took the original calendar photographs, and Christine Clancy, 48, (Miss September) and her husband, John, 50, to speak at a celebrity luncheon in aid of leukaemia research.

Tricia's book, Calendar Girl, is being published by Sidgwick & Jackson and will be available from October 26 priced £14.99.