FRIENDS and family have pledged to shave their heads after a 22-year-old Leominster mum was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Abi Rounds, who has a 22-month-old daughter called Rubymay with partner, Jamie Abley, found out the devastating news she had cancer a week before Christmas.

In January she will undergo a double mastectomy followed by chemotherapy the following month.

In response, her mum, Julie, sister, Ebony, cousin Louisa Jones and friends Amber Holland and Alexandra Downing have pledged to shave their heads with her before her hair begins to fall out from the treatment.

Miss Rounds said: "It has been amazing. I am so overwhelmed. I never imagined or dreamed they would support me so much.

"At first I said, 'You can't do it,' but they really wanted to do it.

"They said if it was going to help me they would love to do it.

"When they said about it I felt it was a big relief that I wasn't going to be on my own."

She found the lump by accident when she had an itch.

A scan didn't show anything. Miss Rounds then had a biopsy which isn't usual procedure for people under 25 but the doctor decided to follow her gut feeling.

It proved right and she was diagnosed with breast cancer, as her mum and auntie had been before and both of which have been treated and survived.

Due to Miss Rounds' age, doctors have decided to remove both of her breasts.

She said: "It was a massive shock but thinking about it now, I just want them off, I want them gone."

Miss Holland, 23, said: "We were all saying we don't see each other as much as we would like. Something like this made us realise what's important and that is our friends and family.

"We will all stick together and do what we can. We will do anything we can to help Abi and help her feel that bit better."

They will shave off their hair at a fundraiser day with the date to be confirmed.

The group are also fundraising for Breast Cancer UK. Go to www.justgiving.com/abigialjeanrounds or text donations to 70070 with Abir92 and your chosen amount.