ONE of the stars of a saucy charity calendar blocked by Lancashire County Council says he's delighted it is now being printed.

Lancashire County Council refused to fund the charity calendar, but hundreds of copies of the controversial fundraiser yesterday rolled off the presses and will be ready for sale next week.

The women behind the idea, Barnoldswick town councillor Jennifer Purcell and her friend Dianne Hodkinson, said they were looking forward to seeing their pictures of the calendar boys, who all work at SITA recycling and waste depots in East Lancashire, in print.

One of the stars of the calendar, who wishes to remain anonymous, urged people to support the fundraising effort and buy a copy.

He said: "I wouldn't strip off to have my picture taken normally, but this was for such a good cause.

"We could have sold lots of copies to our customers at the depots as well, if only Lancashire County Council hadn't got involved.

"It is a poor do that they can't help stump up the money for the printing - it would have been a great advert for the council and for SITA."

Organisers were determined to carry on with the project despite the council's decision not to help fund it, which they claim forced the authority's waste contractor SITA to withdraw its offer of sponsorship. The company declined to comment.

Advance sales of the £3 calendar will cover the printing costs and the money raised from selling the rest will go to the Frank Street Old Aged Pensioners' Centre, in Barnoldswick.