A CURATE faces a hairless Easter this year unless she raises enough funds.

The Reverend Clare Maclaren, curate of St John and St Luke's church, Bilton, near Harrogate, is preparing to have her hair shaved off in a fundraising event that has already raised £400.

People have been pledging money to Cancer Research UK by voting for Ms Maclaren to either "shave it or save it". So far, those paying for her to save her hair are in the lead - but only by a few pounds.

Ms Maclaren, of Bilton, hopes to have raised hundreds of pounds more by the final count at 4pm on Easter Sunday, when she will discover whether she will have to go under the razor.

"The competition is getting fiercer by the day," she said.

"I fully expect to have a very chilly Easter Day - but it will be worth it if we raise a truck-load of money for cancer research.

"I have buried too many people before their time because of this terrible disease - I just hope our efforts can make a difference."

Also taking part in the competition is local youth leader Steve Appleyard, whose "shave it or save it" challenge is to have his legs waxed.

A hairdresser and a beautician from Harrogate salon Kingsgrove Hair and Beauty have offered their services if the "shave it" vote wins, and shoppers in town on Sunday, April 19, will be able to watch the spectacle.

Anyone can contribute to the campaign by putting donations in an envelope marked either "save it" or "shave it", and dropping it off at one of the Cancer Research UK shops in Harrogate.

They can also be posted to St John's Church, Bilton Lane, HG1 3DT; cheques made payable to St John and St Luke PCC.