WORK friends dared to bare all for a calendar inspired by one of their colleagues.

The 20-strong team from The Beardwood Hospital in Blackburn decided to raise money for charity after Nash Liddle, a reservations team leader, was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year.

The Laid Bare - Body and Soul calender, which was inspired by the Women's Institute Calendar Girls, is based on health and well-being, nutrition, sport and leisure and features nude images of the team with a variety of props including dumbbells, fruit, musical instruments and Labrador puppies.

Senior staff nurse Karen Wright came up with the idea to raise cash for the East Lancashire and St Catherine's Hospices and the Rosemere Cancer Foundation.

Some of the people modelling cared for Nash during her treatment and include theatre and ward nurses, non-clinical staff, medical specialists and management.

Sam Sheehan, executive director at the hospital, said: "Nash’s story has really inspired us and the calendar highlights how we can help people who have been diagnosed with cancer.

"The support we received was fantastic.

"We came up with the name ‘Laid Bare – Body and Soul’ as the calendar is not all about baring physically, it is about emotions too.

"There were a lot of nerves and trepidation, but they recognised it is for a great cause which really galvanized them for the common good."

Nash, 50, from Blackburn, has just finished a round of chemotherapy after having a mastectomy in March. She also modelled for the calendar.

She described how a 'gush of emotions' rushed over her when she heard the 'C' word.

She said: "I felt frightened, anxious fearful, angry, helpless and bitter. Why did this happen to me?

"I started to cry and Karen was there to comfort me.

"It was a week later she told me she thought of the idea about Calendar Girls and I thought it was a fantastic idea.

"It was something to think about as a way to tell my story and let out my emotions."

The calendar was shot by Ribble Valley based photographer Phil Garlington and his wife Fiona.

Calendars cost £10 and the appeal runs until December 2018. To order a copy email lb_bodyandsoul@yahoo.com