Six men have dared to bare after undergoing intimate waxes to raise money for a charity which aims to fight male cancers.

According to the Balls to Cancer charity, there are 2,200 cases of testicular cancer each year and it is the most common cancer in young men (aged 15-34), As part of its work, the charity organises fun campaigns to raise money for research into the disease and to support sufferers and their families.

On Saturday, six volunteers teamed up with Waxed Works in Beccles to undergo a full “Hollywood” wax while raising money for the charity through sponsorship.

Waxed Works, which also has a branch in Norwich, also had collection boxes on the day for people wishing to donate.

Toni Keable who runs the Beccles branch of the company and carried out the waxing, came up with idea after one of her regular clients told her he had found a lump.

She said: “Thankfully, he went to the GP and it turned out to be a cyst, but he said if it hadn’t been for the fact that he was now comfortable getting undressed in front of us, he would never have gone to the doctors.

“That got me thinking that we could help raise awareness of men’s cancer and what to look out for so we asked the charity to give us some leaflets about male cancer, to hand out as part of our aftercare advice, and things snowballed from there.”

Ms Keable posted a Facebook appeal for volunteers to undergo the waxing, while also encouraging other waxer friends up and down the country to take part in their own salons.

She said: “When the men came in they were as white as a sheet and had never been waxed before but they were all good sports. “We think we may have raised up to £1,000 which has smashed the initial £150 target and we are now hoping that it can be a yearly event.”

One of the waxing volunteers, Jonathan Denny, 41, said: “I have lost two friends to cancer this year and I really wanted to do something to raise money and awareness. Toni was brilliant and really made us feel comfortable. It makes you realise how little men talk about their health - my son who is 18 took part as well, and you realise that even within families men are not good at talking about issues like testicular cancer.”

Mr Denny raised £155 and his son £220 for the Balls to Cancer cause.

More details about the charity are available at ballstocancer.co.uk

Are you taking part in a fundraising event? Email lynn.crombie@archant.co.uk