PENSIONER Don James joined the battle against cancer by having his head shaved.

Don's was spuured into action after his friend Margaret Ball, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkinson lymphoma six weeks ago.

Mr James, 75, of Quaker Lane, Darwen, whose 40-year-old son, Mick, died from cancer 11 years ago, and whose niece, Ann Gould, passed away earlier this year, has already raised more than £100 in sponsorship money.

He has been friends with Margaret, 55, of Cemetery Road, Darwen, for about 20 years and was devastated when she found a lump in her neck 12 months ago.

Now she faces three more weeks of intensive chemotherapy at Blackburn Royal Infirmary before she can be given the all clear by doctors.

Mr James said he was planning to donate the funds from his kind-hearted effort to the East Lancashire Hospice and the Macmillan Cancer Relief fund. He said: "When I found out about Margaret and she told me she would have to lose her hair I said I would have mine cut off as well, to make it easier for her.

"I think I've got enough left to make it worth while and it's all for a good cause. Ethel said she wasn't too keen on it at first and said she wasn't going out with me looking like that but she's all right about it now.