Cancer awareness receives a helpful uplift

Shop owner Sarah Craven has been hanging out bras as part of an outside display in Bawtry in South Yorkshire as part of Breast cancer awareness month.

People have been handing them to Mrs Craven and her business partner Emily Harborn, who own a lingerie shop in the town, and they have now gone on display for a week.

When the installation is taken down, the bras will be recycled and sent to women in needy countries.

Mrs Craven discovered a lump last August – but it turned out to be a harmless cyst.

She said: “We asked ladies to donate old bras of all different colours and to make a donation as well.”

She added: “The bras will go to the local hospital which recycles them for women who can’t afford them. The response has been amazing and they are still coming in.

“We are part of a courtyard and the majority of traders got involved.

“We were hoping to get from the top of the courtyard to the bottom but ended zig-zagging across. As it’s breast cancer awareness month we just wanted to take the opportunity to highlight that actually this can happen to any of us.”

The women have also launched the latest addition to their brand collection, Anita mastectomy underwear and swimwear, which they are trained to fit.

The most common cancer in the UK, one in eight women develop the disease during their lifetime.

On average about 11 women a day in Yorkshire and the Humber are diagnosed with breast cancer.

Breast cancer incidence is increasing, but research into earlier diagnosis and treatment means more women survive.

About 370 cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in men every year – compared to approximately 40,800 cases of prostate cancer.