IT was a challenge to dare to bare all – and has raised a staggering £10,000-plus to help a cancer charity.

More than 50 people took part in the Kit Off for Cancer event at Felixstowe, sponsored by friends, family and work colleagues to strip down to their birthday suits and pose for the camera.

The models held a banner over vital areas – ensuring that the message got across and covered their modesty.

Among the men and women taking part in the event for Cancer Research were a number who have beaten cancer and some who are still suffering from the disease.

Photographer Rachel Soper, 22, came up with the idea after hearing about a similar project for the charity on a TV show.

She said: “I wanted to do something to help but I didn’t want to do a calendar as they can be very expensive to produce and I wanted an idea which would make as much money for the charity as possible.

“I put it as my Facebook status and within a couple of hours 20 people had signed up and in the first two days £500 was raised.

“After that it just spiralled out of control and now we have raised £10,745.

“People have been very generous and there has been some fantastic support.

“Everyone who took part was very brave – especially those who are still living with cancer.

“It was the first time I had done nude photography. Here were all these people I had never met before turning up, me saying ‘Nice to meet you’ and then asking them to take their clothes off!

“People really seemed to enjoy it though some were very nervous – the majority just got on with it. I wanted the photos to be classy, something people would be comfortable with.”

Rachel, who works for logistics company Seven Lincs in Felixstowe, started her own photographic company Hi-RES Photography three years ago and works for it in her spare time.

An evening was held at The Cellar bar on Felixstowe seafront to present the models with their photos and certificates for taking part.