HEYSHAM'S green-fingered women are poised to weed off their clothes to become the pick of the calendar crop.

Mature girls who are used to keeping the village in full floral glory for the annual Britain in Bloom contest are set to take familiar landmarks by storm - stripping off besides them.

Twelve seaside belles are risking blushes to raise vital cash for two good causes, CancerCare Slynedales and Primrose House in Middleton, a centre for physically disabled children.

Prime mover Angela Sykes, who lost her husband Roger to cancer two years ago, says there has been no problem getting women to take part in Heysham's very own 'Calendar Girls' project.

"We all work for Heysham in Bloom and after a few cases of cancer in the village we decided we should do something to raise money," says Angela.

Originally the idea had been to use a selection of Heysham's tasty harvest of young men to front the months from January to December.

"There are some particularly fine specimens," says Janice Rigby. "But as word got out, people were saying it would be better if we did it."

Says Angela. "Even vicar David Tickner said the calendar would be better with women on it than men."

Using the historic seaside village as the backdrop, the girls are currently looking at locations. Possibilities to date include the square's weighing scales, beach and the nettle beer brewery.

But the girls are waiting for warmer weather before their stripping extravaganza - and hope to have the 2005 masterpiece completed next summer.

Meanwhile, staff from the pharmacy at Royal Lancaster Infirmary have already dispensed with their clothes for the camera in a bid to raise cash for the BBC Children in Need appeal.

The team posed for a novelty calendar and say copies have been selling like hot cakes.

"It took a while to persuade members of staff to do it, but enough had the bottle to make it work," says Stella Fitzsimons, a purchaser for the department.

She says the pharmacy raises cash for Children in Need every year - but this is by far the 'most interesting' thing they have tried.

o Pictured left to right in their December pose for the pharmacy 'Children in Need' calendar are Stella Fitzsimons, Alison Vernon and Vicki Rose.