With tears rolling down her face, pub landlady Annie Vallance watched her hair being shaved off to raise money for a charity that has supported her family through dark days.

When all her hair was cut off and BRAVE THE SHAVE was trimmed onto the back of her head, Annie turned to see her 11-year-old daughter, Charlie Vallance, also in tears.

Crying even more now, Annie told her not to be upset - it was only hair and would grow back.

"But she said, 'No mum, I'm just so proud of you'," said Annie, 44.

Annie, who owns the Coach and Horses on Kingstown Road, Carlisle, with her husband Graham, wanted to 'brave the shave' to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Cancer brought darkness and pain to Annie's family but throughout the years, Macmillan Cancer Support has been a fantastic help.

On the same day that her dad died of lung cancer 11 years ago on October 18, Annie's aunt discovered she had cancer.

She is currently going through an intense period of chemotherapy.

It was a double blow for the family, particularly her uncle.

Two brothers had married two sisters - and Annie's uncle lost his brother on the same day his wife was diagnosed with cancer.

In the past Annie has changed her Facebook profile picture to include a Stand Up To Cancer logo but on Wednesday, November 30, last year she decided to really do something for Macmillan.

She started fundraising with a target of £200.

Donations on her online fundraising page and from locals at the pub started flooding in - with one even saying he'd sponsor her £50 just to cut off her ponytail.

However he was soon outbid by another man who offered to pay £100.

In total, people sponsored Annie £2,350 to shave off her shoulder length brown-blonde hair.

She said she was "absolutely shocked" by the total.

Ashley Mahoney, a barber at Holme Heads on Denton Street, Denton Holme, Carlisle, shaved Annie's hair at a packed out Coach and Horses, where about 100 people came to watch.

Annie said: "[Ashley] was brilliant - trying to make me feel at ease. He said, 'Are you ready for this? Come on then, let's get going'."

The day after the haircut, Annie said she had to do a double take when she looked in the mirror.

She has now got used to her new hair do, though she said it was rather cold.

Now that she has shaved her head, Annie is encouraging others to do it to - or do something to raise money.

"If they can do what I have done or even half of what I've done, it goes such a long way. Anybody who's thinking about it - stop thinking about it.

"Just go for it," she said.