A WESTWOOD father and daughter have shaven their heads to honour popular shop owner Rita Parsonswho battled breast cancer.

Bryony Blyth, 20 and her father Mark, 61, were first inspired to make the brave shave after Mrs Parsons, who runs Westwood village shop, was diagnosed with cancer in 2012.

Miss Blyth said: “Rita has supported me through everything so when she first found out she had cancer it was a big shock and she was an amazing person to get through it and it got me thinking that cancer is a scare that keeps coming back for some people.

“I have never dyed my hair in my life but everyone wears the colour pink to raise money for cancer and I’m not a girly girl so I thought if I dye my hair pink and shave it off, then it wouldn’t be too bad.”

Miss Blyth, who has worked with Mrs Parsons for the past five years, added that it was a community affair on April 25 with many villagers turning out to see her and her dad have their hair shaved off.

Miss Blyth added: “As it was in honour of Rita, she shaved both of our heads and it was a successful day of fundraising and we reached and surpassed our goal of £250, in total raising £500 doubling the expectation of how much money could be raised.”

Mrs Parsons, 63 of Hillworth Road in Devizes said it was messages of support from villagers that helped her survive the disease and it is from donations to Cancer Research UK that allows for steps to be taken to find a cure.

She added: “The support for Bryony’s cause was brilliant and she is like my daughter so I am very proud of her.”