A BREAST cancer support group which is producing a calendar to raise awareness of the disease has asked a male sufferer to help.

Brian Place, 42 of Fir Place, Colerne, was diagnosed with the disease last summer.

As revealed in the Chippenham News last week, when his wife asked for support from the group, she was told they would have to ask other members if it was OK.

The Chippenham Breast Cancer Care group apologised to Mr Place and sent him information and advice about how men can cope with the disease.

As the group are coming up to their 10th anniversary they decided to make a charity calendar to raise awareness and funds.

When approached by the Chippenham News they agreed that Mr Place could get involved to make more people aware that men can get the disease as well as women.

The calendar will feature professional quality photographs of members of the group as well as landscapes from across Wiltshire.

Mr Place has agreed to get involved and said: "Our aim is to raise awareness as much as possible and if being in this calendar helps then it is a good idea.

"There are so few men that realise they can get the disease and it is so important they do.

"Women are much better at checking their bodies to make sure everything is OK and so we always encourage them to nag their husbands. If we can raise the issue on a national level we can make a real difference."

The support group secured sponsorship from Wavin Plastics for the project, and are working with professional photographer Teresa Cambell.

The calendar will be ready to go on sale in October and the proceeds will go towards new equipment for the Breast Unit at the Royal United Hospital, Bath.

Several shots for the calendar have already been taken, but members have not decided to go down the nude route popularised by members of the WI and appearing nude.

"We want to keep the contents of the calendar a surprise," said Nina Rack, chairman of the group.

"However, we will not be copying the ladies of the WI, our calendar will be more about portraying the spirit of optimism and comradeship within our group."