THEY are the sort of friends anyone would be proud of.

Rachel Newall and Karen Thompson are remarkable women as is their friend, Adele Marshall.

Adele was diagnosed with lymphoma last year and her treatment resulted in her losing her hair.

It is a situation which would distress anyone but for a woman, hair loss is particularly difficult.

Rachel decided that the best way to support Adele and show her how much she cared about her was to part with her hair too.

And with a second friend, Karen, she faced up to the closest shave of her life, as the two shed their hair to mark their solidarity with Adele and to raise the profile of research into lymphoma.

The pairs efforts have so far raised more than £1,300 for the Lymphoma Research Trust which they hope to increase to £2,000.

A slightly stunned Adele thinks her friends are quite mad to have had their heads shaved but at the same time applauds their bravery and so do we.

Supporting a friend through a debilitating illness is one thing. Letting the world know that you are backing the fight against cancer by baring your head is quite another. Well done ladies.