A Workington woman has braved the cold and chosen to shave her hair off to raise money for charity.

Bethany Ball, 24, from Princess Street, decided to have the head shave to fundraise for the UK Sepsis Trust, after losing her mother to the condition in June 2013.

The shave was carried out at Gek hair and beauty in Maryport on December 8.

Originally Bethany was aiming to raise £500 for the charity, but has exceeded that figure and made £800 by losing her locks.

Bethany said: "Shaving my head for charity is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. As other women can vouch, hair is a thing that we don’t really appreciate and it gives most of us confidence. When it’s gone you feel very vulnerable. But I’m so proud and honoured that I am able to raise as much as I have for an amazing charity."

Being very pragmatic about the head shave she said: "Hair grows back. It’s the least I can do if it helps raise awareness about sepsis."

Prior to the shave Mrs Ball said that her mum would have been proud of her: "Honestly she would tell me to stop being so stupid and keep my hair but she would have supported me no matter what! And would have been so proud! She was amazing!", she added.

Mrs Ball would like to thank everyone that supported her and donated: "Every penny counts. Sepsis is one of the worlds largest killers and not many people are aware of this. So it’s nice to be able to spread the word," she said.

Sepsis is a serious complication of an infection, which can be fatal.

In children signs of sepsis include: mottled, bluish or pale skin; lethargy; cold; fast breathing; rash that doesn't fade when pressed; a fit or convulsion.

With adults signs include: high or low body temperature or fever; chills or shivering; fast heartbeat; fast breathing; vomiting; dizziness; disorientation; feeling unwell and loss of consciousness.

See www.nhs.uk/conditions/sepsis/ for a full list of the symptoms.