A GRANDMOTHER who has seen three generations of her family battle with cancer will Brave the Shave in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.

Helen Murphy from Lymm, who now lives in Northwich, has vowed to let granddaughters Lucy, 13, and Isabelle, 11, shave her hair off to raise much-needed funds for the charity.

Every penny raised from the 54-year-old's efforts will help give people with cancer and their families the specialised support they need and continue to fund vital research.

"We did the ice bucket challenge last year, so we have always supported Macmillan," said Helen, who will be facing the clippers on Thursday, August 23 - which also happens to be her 55th birthday.

"I saw the Brave the Shave campaign advertised and said to the grandchildren 'You would shave grandma's hair wouldn't you?' and they jumped at it, as kids would do.

"They just think it's absolutely hilarious that grandma's going to have her hair shaved off."

But what started as a bit of fun to raise money became much more poignant when Helen's sister Ann-Marie died on July 20, just six weeks after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer and nine days before her 59th birthday.

"The reason why we were shaving to start off with was to support her, because I always said there was no chance she was ever going to have short hair and go grey before me. But six weeks was no time.

"There have been three generations of our family that have died from cancer so it has become quite a sensitive issue. My mother has survived bowel cancer, as well as other members from both sides of our families that have suffered with the 'Big C' one way or another.

"It means an awful lot to one of my granddaughters, Isabelle, because she's lost her godmother and her grandmother as well. It's just nice to give something back because Macmillan have done, and continue to do, a fantastic job."

To date, Helen has raised more than £340 of her £500 target.

Donations can be made to her cause by visiting bravetheshave.macmillan.org.uk/shavers/helen-murphy1