A Bolton bingo club has been the scene for a special charity calendar with staff and customers being used as models in the project. Student photographer, Daniel Gartside, suffers with Spina Bifida and is hoping to raise funds for the Marie Curie Cancer Trust and Boston Hospice.

The focus of the calendar was not gaming machines but saw props such as a boa constrictor, sparklers, a watering can and a paddling pool being bought in during the four day photo shoot.

Daniel, aged 39, took up photography six years after being diagnosed with Spina Bifida and becoming a wheelchair user. Daniel offered his help to the Mecca Bingo club team in their bid to raise funds for Marie Curie Cancer Care. Mecca Bingo have committed as a company to raise as much money as possible for the charity which provides end of life care to the terminally ill.

Daniel is currently in his third year of a photography degree. He is setting up his own photography company and added: “It was really good fun and I enjoyed it.

“I go to bingo often and thought this was a great way of giving back to the community.”

The calendar has different themes for each of the months showing the amateur models.

Membership manager for Mecca Bolton, Will Clarke, added: “We wanted to support a local good cause as well as raise money for our charity of the year and a calendar seemed a good way to do it.

“The team members and customers had great fun appearing in the photographs and we hope as many of our customers buy a copy as possible so that we can make a difference to two fantastic causes.”