IT WAS a case of keeping your hat on for pensioners taking part in a photo shoot for a calendar.

Residents of Alexander Briant Court in Farnworth have posed in a variety of comedy poses for a charity calendar to raise cash for the Alzheimer's Society.

Wearing hats in each of the 12 photographs - to highlight their heads - residents hope the scheme will raise as much as possible to help fund research into the debilitating brain disorder.

Managers of the sheltered housing scheme, which is run by St Vincent's Housing Association, came up with the idea after one of their residents, Robert Collier, was struck down with the debilitating condition and died last year.

Sandra Stevens, manager of the sheltered housing scheme, and assistant scheme manager Sandra Hulton are behind the calendar.

Mrs Stevens said: "We've had many people leave here and go into nursing homes because of Alzheimer's, but it was after Robert died that we came up with the idea.

"He went from being such a jovial character to being unable to look after himself and it was heartbreaking to watch.

"We just want to raise as much money as we possibly can."

Mr Collier, aged 84, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's 18 months before he died. His condition deteriorated rapidly and he died on March 20 last year.

Mr Collier's son-in-law, Dave Yarwood, took the photographs for the calendar.

They are £2 each and all proceeds will be donated to the Alzheimer's Society.

If anyone wants to buy a calendar, or make a donation, contact Alexander Briant Court on 01204 862044.