A plucky pensioner who survived cancer has taken a bold step for charity by having her hair shaved off.

Sheila Jones, 68, decided to complete the hair-raising challenge to raise money for Macmillan, which cared for her during her breast cancer battle.

In front of her family the retired special needs teacher saw her lovely locks tumble to the floor.

In the process she raised more than £400 for Macmillan Cancer Support, which provides specialist heath care and support to people with cancer.

Sheila, of Delamere Drive, Macclesfield, said: “When I had cancer, Macmillan at Macclesfield Hospital were amazing. I have just had the final check-up in my annual 10 year programme after treatment and have been given the all clear. I wanted to do something and saw the charity’s Brave the Shave campaign, which encourages people to shave their hair and stand alongside men, women and children with cancer, many who will lose their hair during treatment. I thought ‘why not?’. If I can give back just a fraction of what the charity gave me, then I will be happy.”

Sheila describes her cancer battle as ‘a scary time’. She said: “It was very frightening to have the diagnosis and treatment. People kept on trying to encourage me by saying I would be alright, but there was never any certainty. Even after getting the all clear after radiotherapy, I still have an annual check up, which was always nerve-racking.”

Since revealing her plan to family and friends, Sheila has got a mixed response.

She said: “There has been some laughter and some disbelief that a woman of my age is shaving her head. But everyone has been supportive.

“I suppose my biggest worry was how my husband Ken was going to react, but after 40 years of marriage, I don’t think anything I do surprises him anymore.”

Sheila was helped by Helen Howard hair studio on Hurdsfield Road, Macclesfield, which shaved her hair for free.

Kirsty Rathmill, the hairdresser who did the shave, said: “I’ve never shaved a woman’s head before so I think it was more a case of Sheila putting me at ease rather than the other way around.

“ She’s a brave lady and it’s such an important cause.”

To donate go to bravetheshave.org.uk/shavers/sheila-jones .