An 84-year-old woman has given herself a bold new look in memory of her late husband, to raise funds to cure the disease that tortured him for the last six and a half years of his life.

Phyllis Hunt, of Tibbenham, who lost her husband Pat three and half years ago, shaved her head at Marks and Spencer, Norwich, for Alzheimer's Society, raising almost £3,000.

The idea to shave her head originally came to her while her husband was in hospital, when she got talking to a man who had shaved his head to raise funds for the charity, which supports people suffering with the very disease that plagued her husband.

Then, when shopping in the Norwich store, Mrs Hunt noticed collection buckets, raising money for the same cause. This led to her approaching the store to ask if she undergo her shave there.

The 84-year-old said: 'It looks better than I thought it was going to look! It feels very comfortable and people are saying that I look alright, so I don't regret having it done; it will grow again won't it?

'When people ask my why I'm doing it, I tell them that I am doing it for everyone. I'm doing it for you, for your children, and for your grandchildren's children.

'We have to find a cure.'

Mrs Hunt's head shave was held as part of a fundraising week organised in store for the Alzheimer's Society, which the store has been supporting since March.

The week included activities such as cake bakes and sales, till collections, a denim for dementia day, and Pat Garten, a fellow Tibbenham resident of Mrs Hunt's, baked a special cake for the occasion.

Marc Shaw, Alzheimer's Society community fundraiser for Norfolk, said: 'Phyllis recognised that there was a need to raise awareness and funds for the society, as not many people were aware of the work we do.

'I wish we had a hundred of more people like her helping us, but she really is one in a million.

'All the money we raise goes to support locally based services such as our singing for the brain scheme, dementia cafés and all the work we do to support those affected by Alzheimer's.'

Do you have a fundraising story? Contact David Hannant on 01603 693892.