A NAKED calendar featuring racy shots of ladies from a North-East village was officially launched yesterday (Saturday, October 5) - and sold like hot cakes.

The calendar girls of Castleside, near Consett, in County Durham, raised £1,100 through sales in just two hours at the village hall event, as well as a further £170 in donations for tea and cakes.

The new Castleside Calendar is being sold to raise funds for Willow Burn Hospice, in Lanchester, and Cancer Research UK, as well as the village hall.

Judith Robson, one of the ladies who bared all, said: “The launch went exceptionally well.

“We had hoped to sell 50 calendars, but managed to sell 110, which was brilliant.”

She added: “When we started the project we we were disappointed it was going to cost so much to produce.

“But we were not going to be deterred. As soon as we decided to raise cash for cancer research the whole thing turned around.

“A photographer offered his services for free and one of our friends had printing connections and could get reasonable price.

“And then local businesses came on board with sponsorship - so all our costs have been covered.”

Mrs Robson added: “We have made 60 online sales so far, with some orders coming from the US, Canada, Spain, the Gulf, Australia and New Zealand.”

Calendars, priced at £10, are available from castleside.net or from Moorside post office, Matalan, Sadie the Bra Lady and The Bluebell Inn, Stanley.