A MUM will be shaving her head for charity in memory of her friend who died of bowel cancer.

Rosie Barnes, an NVQ assessor from Darwen, will be braving the clipper at the end of the month for Cancer Research UK.

The inspiration for the challenge was her friend Rachel McNamee, 34, from Blackburn, who died last April after being diagnosed with bowel cancer just three months before.

Mrs Barnes, a mum-of-one, also does modelling but said she was more bothered about raising awareness than how she looked.

The 33-year-old said: “I was really good friends with Rachel and knew her from school.

“I want to make people aware that even though you are young cancer can still get you.

“Of course when I shave my head it will really affect the way I look which is not great when I’m a model but I really don’t care. I just want to raise awareness.

“Rachel will probably look down on me with hands over her eyes because she always wanted perfect hair.

“She was an amazing mum, wife and friend. It shook us to the core.”

It will take place at Head Turners hairdressers on Wednesday, March 29.