Haworth man Maurice Baren had a close shave when a routine screening uncovered cancer.

He had a second close shave last week when he shed his hair and beard for charity.The author, horticulturist and Rotarian raised £7,000 for children's charity NCH and relief work in the Sudan.

The sponsored event had been postponed while 70-year-old Maurice underwent surgery for his illness.

When he was 65, Maurice raised £3,350 for the NCH and Rotary cause The Nepal Trust with a head and beard shave.

The Nepal money provided a teacher for a year at a school in the poverty-stricken country.

Maurice turned 70 last September and planned to celebrate the milestone by having another head shave. But last autumn a routine NHS screening revealed he had a cancerous tumour on his colon.

He needed a major operation before Christmas to remove the affected tissue.

Maurice finally had his head shaved by mobile hairdresser Joanne Dixon last week, at West Lane Baptist Church, in Haworth.

Food and drinks were provided by fellow Rotary members so extra money could be raised by donations for supper.

Maurice raised the £7,000 over six months from the many people he knows through organisations he is involved with.

He said: "People have been extremely generous. I know how to twist arms."

There was a surprise for Maurice during the head shave when he was presented with a special award. The award from the Rotary International Foundation was in honour of his efforts for the charity over many years.