Hair-raising night at Sidley CC

An audience probably in excess of 100 regaled in the entertainment provided by a solo musician, Elvis impersonator, top-drawer raffle featuring a DVD player and Hi-Fi system donated by Roy Smith and the main event of a head shave at Sidley Sports & Social Club.

It was anticipated that four members would face the chop but such was the convivial atmosphere that two more kind-hearted souls, including the unsuspecting Ian Vye fresh off an enthusiastic performance behind the stumps in the club's second team fixture against Chichester, donated their services to the hairdresser's heavily-employed shaver.

Guy Montgomery, Dave Hill, Roy Willard, Brian Hackett and Ian Mollart, whose father's death two months ago when in Hospice care spawned the idea of the event, also had it all off with the coffers being further swelled by generous individuals, spurred on by the cajoling of MC Nick Rushton, paying for the right to shave a segment of the victims' heads. And the barely recognisable Mollart has even decided keep his tightly-cropped new style in favour of his previously shaggy look.

Organiser Kevin Deeprose said: "It all went really well and it was the busiest I've seen it for ages. It was brilliant to see everyone there and we're hoping to get over 1,000. It didn't bring a dampener on the actual reason why we were doing it."

Hospice fund-raising co-ordinator Jenny Tyrrell said: "I was absolutely delighted. It was such a well-attended evening and I was just amazed. When I had the message (to say it was taking place) I didn't expect anything like that - the whole place was just buzzing. It was absolutely packed and they were obviously having a really good evening."