Supporters were “chucking money” at the brave Dartmouth souls who shaved their heads for charity, in a heartwarming show of support.

Steve Hawkes, one of the five who braved the shave at the town’s Conservative Club on Saturday, said the venue was bursting at the seams with well wishers who were throwing money into the pot.

Joining Steve for the sponsored shave were his wife Sue, who hadn’t had her long locks cut for four years, Alan Duffy, Norman Brown and Stephen Osbourne.

The quintet have so far raised £2,000 to be split between Cancer Research and the Stroke Association, and say money continues to pour in.

Steve, who works at Travis builders merchants in the town, enthused: “It was an absolutely amazing day, amazing. The place was rammed all day.

“We expected the place to be busy, but it was more than that.

“Even the bar staff were struggling and I had to jump in.

“The community showed us amazing support. After it was done people were chucking ten and twenty quid notes at me like it was going out of fashion.

“We are in the middle of a country-wide financial mess, for whatever reason, and it just opened your heart up.”

Sue, who runs her own business caring for the elderly, is donating her hair to MacMillan Cancer Support to be made into wigs for cancer patients who have lost their hair through cancer treatment, like she did four years ago.

Town council worker Alan Duffy, who decided to raise money for the Stroke Association after his wife Nicola suffered a stroke last year, opted to go completely bald.

“I was the only one who went down to the bone,” he said.

“I said I would and if I say something I keep to my word

“I’ve never had it this short before. I work outside a lot doing maintenance for the town council and I’ll be wearing a hat to work for some time because I’m a bit chillier on top now and the forecast for the week isn’t very warm.”

Alan added: “I was surprised how many people came, it was really busy. During the actual shave there were about 60 people here.

“A lot of people had paid their money, they knew it was going to a good cause and they wanted to come and see what was going on. “It was good fun and so far we’ve raised over £2,000 but we still have money coming in. We’re surprised to have raised so much.

“People were handing us money as we were going around the club. I was just sitting there and people were coming over with a twenty pound note, a tenner or a fiver. It’s brilliant.”

The fundraiser also included more than 70 raffle prizes donated by family and friends.

Alan said: “We’d like to thank everyone who donated money and raffle prizes; as well as the mobile hairdressers Clare Alexander and Penny Wallace, who gave their time and expertise for free; Patsy Roberts the bar manager; Sandra Lumley who helped do the raffle; Lisa behind the bar and everybody else who helped out.

Anyone wishing to donate can do so by paying into bank account number 36609664, sort code 60-92-04, account holder Alan Duffy.