WEST Somerset Railway volunteer Richard Derry waved a flag at his full beard – and raised over £300 for the charity Hope for Tomorrow.

He underwent a full shave and hair cut at the Kildare Lodge Hotel in Minehead to support the charity which provides mobile chemotherapy units known as Bumble to rural areas including Minehead.

Richard is well known in the town as a volunteer with the West Somerset Railway and as a performer in various theatre productions.

His long white hair and beard was more than ready for a trim and his barber Stuart Newsham was happy to get his scissors out in public to do the job of making Richard look presentable – and younger- again.

Stuart usually looks after clients at his barbershop Something for the Weekend, Sir? in Friday Street, Minehead.

The event took place on February 26 and the generosity of those present on the night raised over £200. This added donations made online via Justgiving means the total Richard has raised to date is £340.

Richard said: “I’m used to people staring at me and so it didn’t bother to me to have my haircut and shave in public, especially as it was to raise money for such a worthy charity”.

It costs £15,000 a year to keep ‘Bumble’ coming to Minehead so that local residents needing cancer treatment do not have to make the lengthy and time-consuming two-way trip to Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton.

The Hope for Tomorrow website features stories and videos of those who have benefited from the service so far and where people can offer their support.