THE widow who inspired the hit movie Calendar Girls is to marry the vicar who helped her through her grief.

Angela Baker, 58, shot to fame after posing naked for a charity calendar with friends of Rylestone Women's Institute, in North Yorkshire.

The calendar was produced to raise money for research into leukaemia after Mrs Baker's husband, John, died of the disease aged 54.

Now, seven years after his death, Mrs Baker is to marry the Reverend Charles Knowles.

Mr Knowles, 61, of Coventry, said: "I'm delighted and amazed that Angela's agreed to marry me."

Mr Knowles studied with Mr Baker at Sheffield University and kept in touch each Christmas.

After his death, the Church of England vicar sent Mrs Baker a letter and was supportive through her grief. Their relationship developed from there.

The couple will marry in East Sussex in November and will hold a civil ceremony in Linton-in-Craven, North Yorkshire, where Mrs Baker works as a registrar.

Mrs Baker and her friends have helped raised more than £1m for the Leukaemia Research Fund following the success of the film starring Helen Mirren and Julie Walters.

Mrs Baker, whose character was played by Walters, appeared as Mrs February in the calendar, playing a piano with her back to the camera.

Her friend and fellow calendar girl Tricia Stewart, who was played by Mirren, said the women were delighted with the announcement.

"We're all thrilled," she said. "It's lovely that after seven years Angela has found happiness again. We all like Charles and this is great news."