WHEN lollipop man Richard Bell makes a promise he keeps it, even if it means leaving a hospital bed.

And that's precisely what he did to fulfil a promise to do a sponsored head shave last week to raise money for his local school.

Richard is the lollipop man at St Bernadette's Junior School in Blackpool and agreed to do the head shave in order to raise cash for new kits for the football and netball teams.

But Richard, who has suffered from Hodgkin's disease in the past, was taken to hospital before the weekend after his legs swelled up and he found it difficult to stand.

Richard said: "They wanted me to stay in for tests because they can't put their finger on what's wrong." But it didn't stop him because he obtained a two-hour release so that the head shave could go ahead.

When asked why he still insisted on going ahead with the event when the hospital clearly thought he should stay, Richard said: "They could do the tests afterwards. I made a promise to do it and when I make a promise, I keep it."

Wife Tracey was worried but said: "There is nothing I can do to stop him -- once he gets an idea in his head you just have to stand back and let him get on with it."

Richard raised more than £100 for the school where he works and hopes the new kits will soon be on their way.

The head shave took place on Monday (April 17) which amazingly is not only Richard's birthday, but his wife's birthday and their seventh wedding anniversary. It was also the birthday of hairdresser Kathryn Rodger's daughter, Emily.