Residents from a Warwickshire village, including a retired policeman, a restauranteur and a 90-year-old farm supplier, have bared all to raise awareness of breast cancer in men.

A group of 16 men from Aston Cantlow, near Stratford-upon-Avon, have stripped off for a charity calendar in aid of the Breast Cancer Campaign charity.

Businessman Ian Young photographed his neighbours, from a carpet fitter to three farmers and 60-year-old retired local bobby Mike Anslow.

Residents Amanda Hyde, aged 41, and freelance instructor Becky Watt, aged 31, both played an important role co-ordinating the calendar as both their mothers suffered with breast cancer. “We knew we had to do something dramatic to make sure that as many men as possible got the message that they too can be affected by this,” said Mrs Hyde.

“What surprised us was that it was the quiet chaps in the village who were first to sign up for the project.

“The apparently more confident and vocal men were the ones who ran a mile from the idea.”

The village of Aston Cantlow has raised more than £7,700 over the past four years for the cancer charity through various events and now help fund a cell research project at Birmingham University.

Mrs Hyde added: “Breast cancer is just not something that you normally associate with men and although only 300 men are diagnosed with the disease in this country each year, compared to 45,500 women, their condition is often not picked up until the cancer is in the advanced stages.

“Therefore, the percentage death rate from the disease is actually higher for men.”

Farmers Nigel and Mick Suffield, who represent the month of April, have a tractor to cover their modesty, while an antique police cape was used for retired police officer Mike Anslow in May and local musician Adrian Hyde aptly has a guitar strategically placed to save his blushes during September.

But the oldest person to take part, 90-year-old retired feed supplier Frank Parish, posed with retired farmer Tony Suffield on Frank’s Big Yellow Mower for the June page.

“I have no regrets,” said Mr Parish. “At my age, you are just grateful that anyone asks you to take your clothes off.”

The front cover of the calendar is also a tongue in cheek local version of The Village People, featuring 30-year-old builder John Lake, 34-year-old shop assistant Stuart Hannaford, prison officer Chris Skinner, aged 52, retired police officer Mr Anslow and maintenance control engineer Adrian Hyde, aged 47.

A limited edition of just 500 calendars have been produced and have gone on sale at Aston Cantlow Club, at a cost of £10 each.

Anyone interested in buying a calendar can email charitycalendar@hotmail.co.uk