A FORMER soldier who lost his son to leukaemia is hoping to raise thousands of pounds for charity by getting his hair waxed off.

And besides the pain Henry Aaron McDonald, of Pennine Road, Bacup, is prepared to suffer with the all-over waxing, he is also having his impressive beard shaved off.

The hair-raising feats are to raise money for the Paul O'Gorman Foundation, The charity was set up in memory of a 14-year-old who died of the disease.

The former Queen's Lancashire Regiment infantry-man, who has 128 pins in his left leg, a metal knee cap, 17 pins in his left arm, and a metal shoulder blade and jaw as a result of his time in the armed forces, said the loss of his son six years ago inspired him to continue with his charity work.

Hank Aaron Junior, born in 1997, was diagnosed with leukaemia at 13 months and lost the battle with the disease three years later.

Mr McDonald will have his chest, legs and eyebrows waxed and his head and beard shaved on Saturday June 9 at the Classic Motorbike show, at the New Inn, in Rawtenstall, which he has organised.

The wax strips will then be auctioned off.

The 37-year-old voluntary worker, who is registered disabled, said: "I go through the pain so the kids don't have to and the money I raise will go to the Paul O' Gorman Foundation.

"My son would have been 10 if he had not passed away because of leukaemia.

"I have celebrated his birthday for six years by doing charity events for children with the disease."

The former soldier, who worked with the sniffer dogs in the veterinary and bomb disposal unit, raised £37,562.78 through a sponsored European cycle tour last year.

The motorbike show includes a display of bikes, live rock music and raffles.

Mr McDonald is hoping to raise £500 by auctioning a Yamaha XT250 which he built himself.

Mr McDonald said: "I have a love of motorbikes and in my spare time I build custom trikes.

"I am hoping to raise £5,000 in memory of my son who lasted three years and died just before his birthday."

The event starts at noon and will go on until late. Admission is free.

Paul, 14, succumbed to the disease in February 1987, just 12 weeks after his initial diagnosis, and his family have been raising money for the cause ever since.

The tragedy of the O'Gorman family and their desire to defeat childhood leukaemia deeply touched Diana, Princess of Wales and she helped form the charity.