MOVE over ladies of the Women's Institute - Hereford has its own Calendar Girls.

In one of those 'Why don't we...' moments, staff in the Women's Health department at Hereford County Hospital discovered how dangerous talk can be!

A casual chat about the film has led to them creating a nude calendar of their own.

Nobody knows exactly whose bright idea it was. "But," says photographer, and Miss January, Marina Wesley, "the idea soon snowballed.

"Initially, the plan was to run off a dozen copies or so for family and friends but, as word spread, we realised that we could have a bit of a giggle and raise money for a cause close to many of us," she said.

They saw how perfectly a calendar could help get the 'breast is best' message across, benefiting not only babies, but mothers, too, with breastfeeding believed to offer protection against developing breast cancer.

"One in 12 women will develop breast cancer," says senior midwife Judith Nicholas, "and a calendar seems an ideal way to present that statistic."

Judith herself (Miss June, flower strewn and 'bustin' out all over') was 46 when she was diagnosed. "Both my mother and grandmother had breast cancer, so I was regularly checked and it was caught early."

Several of the others flashing their flesh have also been touched by breast cancer, losing close friends to the disease.

Patricia Watkins, at 64 the oldest to be featured in the calendar (Miss March, complete with discreetly positioned Welsh flag), also had a brush with breast problems.

"I found a lump when I was 22. I didn't know anything. It was my older sister who said, 'You've got to see the doctor'. She frightened the life out of me and I was terribly embarrassed, red as a beetroot.

"Things have moved on, but women still need to be told how important it is to get checked out. This is a great way to do it."

Proceeds from the calendar will go to a breast cancer charity. For more details, contact Marina Wesley on 01432 850112.