A HAIRCUT and a pair of rugby boots in Newcastle Emlyn have helped to raise more than £5,000 for a national diabetes charity.

At the recent Brave the Shave evening in the Cooper’s Arms, waitress Yvonne Lloyd marked her 50th birthday by having her head shaved to raise money for Diabetes UK Cymru.

Supervised by hairdresser Pamela Atterbury, Newcastle Emlyn Mayor Cllr Cefin Evans was the first to chop off one of Yvonne’s blond bunches, with more cut off by audience members who paid for the privilege.

She carried out the shave not only to raise money but also awareness about the condition. Her son Tristan developed Type 1 diabetes when he was at university.

Yvonne, a well-known face in Newcastle Emlyn for her work in Ty Croeso Delicatessen, said: “It was an epic night that I will never forget. There was an astonishing number of people there – the support was overwhelming. I’m really grateful to everyone who helped to make the evening such a success.”

A pair of rugby boots (complete with mud) belonging to Welsh international rugby star Scott Williams was auctioned for nearly £200. Several other items were donated by local businesses as auction or raffle prizes, the Coopers Arms organised a buffet and local band Backtrax provided the music.

Donations to Diabetes UK Cymru can still be made at Ty Croeso or on line at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/yvonne-lloyd2