A CWMBRAN family had a group head shave for charity on Friday after a 37-year-old mum-of-two was diagnosed with cervical cancer.

Leah Phillips, from Cwmbran, found out she had cervical cancer just six weeks ago and two weeks ago she had a hysterectomy.

Last Friday, August 14, Ms Phillips' two brothers, their partners, two other members of her extended family and her partner decided to have their hair shaved off for charity.

Originally just four people had signed up to cancer charity Macmillan’s Brave the Shave campaign at at event at the Halfway pub in Cwmbran but by the end at total of 10 people had their hair shaved off.

£1,300 was raised and a whole carrier bag of hair collected which will be sent off and made into wigs for children with cancer.

Extended family member Leanne Sweeting, who calls herself Leah’s sister, said the head shave was “absolutely fantastic”.

She said: “Some of them have got number two haircuts but most have had all the hair shaved off.

“I didn’t have my head shaved because I’m pregnant and there’s no way the first sight my baby’s going to have of me is bald.

“I hope all their hair grows by December when the baby’s born.”

Ms Sweeting said it is a “nervous time at the moment” for the family who are anxiously waiting for Ms Phillips’ recovery.

Poorly Leah has been in the Royal Gwent Hospital since Saturday after her wound reopened and became infected following the hysterectomy two weeks ago.

Doctors do not yet know whether the cancer has spread to elsewhere in her body and Ms Phillips has to wait before the MRI scan comes back. She will then know whether she needs chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

Those who had their heads shaved include Leah’s brothers Craig and Glen Phillips, sister-in-law Paula Phillips, Craig’s girlfriend Gwen Harris and Gwen’s family Megan and Lou Harris. Also having his head shaved was Leah’s partner, Bryan Wheatstone.