A FLINTSHIRE caravan park was the backdrop of a nude calendar photoshoot to raise funds for a leading cancer charity.

The Caravan Girls – a group of friends who all holiday at Flintshire's Tree Tops Caravan Park – have stripped off for a cheeky calendar which will be sold to raise funds for Breast Cancer Care.

Tree Toppers Rachel Anchors and Wendy Wild had the initial idea, and persuaded fellow caravanners ranging from their 30s to 70s.

Rachel, 46, has been at Tree Tops, near Holywell, for four years and said: "Persuading other caravanners to take part was one thing but staging the photos, deciding where to take them, exploring the props to use and, more importantly, finding someone we trusted to take them, was quite another. Agreeing to take your clothes off, even for a good cause, is brave but it requires a greater level of bravery to actually do it."

Andrew Walker, who runs Tree Tops alongside parents Maureen and Harry, offered to put his photography skills to use and take images of the women for the worthy cause.

Over the last few months, the group - some of whom are breast cancer survivors themselves or who have had family members face difficult health issues - have worked tirelessly to capture the perfect shot.

Andrew said: "Given we're a caravan park with lots of different people staying with us, we've really had to think about how we approach this. We've had to be mindful of how and when we took the photos, aware of making those taking part comfortable, and finding props for pictures that best reflect the caravan girls' personalities.

"There has been endless patience but a lot of laughs and joy through the whole process. What we have is a calendar of pictures which reflect the fun of both the women and caravan life – the calendar girls have most definitely put the perky in our park."

From tractors to strategically placed balls of wool, the photos offer a snapshot into life at Tree Tops and a glimpse into the lives of the people who stay there.

Rachel added: "We've bared all during this process – physically and metaphorically, wobbly bits and all. Stripping off isn't always comfortable but we found a way of doing it that worked for us and Andy was great at making us feel at ease and took endless test shots, so we were happy and comfortable.

"We've all had personal reasons for wanting to be part of this and, as friends, we've also been able to share our stories, learn more about each other and have fun along the way. It's made us closer but, more importantly, it's about raising funds for Breast Cancer Care."

75-year-old Vera Jones from Stockport is one of the oldest Calendar Girls and sadly lost her brother to cancer. She said: "As soon as I heard about the calendar I knew I had to take part to do my bit for everyone who has gone through cancer."

Victoria Blackburn, 44, Widnes, took part in the calendar in tribute to her mum who she lost to breast cancer. She said: "I felt I had to do this in memory of her and anybody else who is going through treatment."