Local cab firm owner Geordie Christopher has raised over £1,000 for the Scottish Cot Death Trust by shaving his beard and his hair.

The charity is one close to Geordie’s heart. More than 40 years ago, he and wife Nancy tragically lost their baby son Steven to cot death.

The £5-ticketed fundraising event, on Saturday, February 11, was the latest charity bash at Geordie’s local pub, the Learig Bar, and included a disco, karaoke and, of course, the big shave.

But this was not the first time that Geordie, who is originally from just outside of Newcastle, has shed his hair for the Cot Death charity. Last year, he took part with three other men in a big shave, also at the Learig.

Geordie, who has lived in Bo’ness for more than two decades, said: “We’ll probably do something next year. I did my head and my beard so I’m bald all round. It’s a bit cold when I’m outside but otherwise it’s fine.

“Before the shave, I sprayed my hair and beard green. I don’t know why, just for something different I suppose; a bit of a laugh.”

Local businesses and organisations donated to the fundraiser, including Dean Hairdressers next door, Kinneal Darts Association and Bo’ness United. And keeping in tradition with the Learig’s other charity nights, guests had to wear fancy dress according to a theme – this time it was Back to School Disco.

When s1bo’ness asked Geordie whether or not he dressed up, he laughed: “Yes, I did unfortunately. I was a schoolboy.”

He added: “It was just all locals from the pub and people from the community who came along. The big problem with being such a small town though is you’re asking the same people over and over again.

"But the night went really well and, although it was a bit slow at the start, lots of people soon came along.”

Mags Morrison, a barmaid at the Learig and organiser of the pub’s regular charity nights, said: “We raised about £1,300 and it’s all going to the Scottish Cot Death Trust. We did it last year as well.

“We have at least four different charity nights every year. The next one will be in July for Help for Hereos. The last one for them, we raised over £1,600. We also raised money for the British Heart Foundation last Halloween.

“We don’t just stick to one charity; we try and help them all out - I’ve got a friend who’s got MS so that might be the next one we raise money for. But we do always do the Cot Death Trust every year.”

Like Geordie, the Scottish Cot Death Trust is a charity also close to Mags’ heart. She said: “My daughter suffered a miscarriage last year. And one of the young girls in the darts team that Geordie and I play in lost a baby to cot death 13 years ago.”

Thanking all the local businesses and people who donated to Saturday’s fundraiser, she added: “Things are hard for some businesses at the moment. Also, for my customers - it’s just a small pub. For the size of it, we raised quite a lot.

"We’re just one big happy family in here! It’s a good wee community when it comes to raising money for charity.”