FRIENDS at a Canvey supermarket are raising money in memory of four of their colleagues who have died from cancer over the past year.

Four workers at Morrisons in Northwick Road died between April and November 2013 after suffering from the disease.

Now, former colleagues of Michelle McCarthy, 49, Shirley Deans, 57, Lynn Rowland, 59, and Ev Hoad, 67, are raising money in their honour.

The workers, joined by relatives of the women, raised money through bucket collections and the sponsorship of fellowworker Sue Rodwell, 59, who chose to have her head shaved to honour her friends.

The money raised from the sponsored head shave will go towards a memorial bench. The group also plan to donate money to Sue Ryder cancer care.

Jenny Turner, personnel manager, said: “People here are quite close. It’s quite a shockwhen you lose that number of people and we wanted to do something about it.

“They had all been here quite a long time. We’re trying to raise funds to get a memorial bench for them and we’ve been raising money for Sue Ryder cancer care.

“The bench will be something to remember them by.

“We’ll put the bench at the back of the store and their families can come in and see it.”

Sue Rodwell, 59, had her sponsored head shave in the store on Monday.

Jenny added: “We all sponsored her to have it cut she just suggested it as it was something she wanted to do for them.

“The customers were brilliant, people were even putting notes in. We raised quite a lot of money in a short space of time.”

The total amount raised by the event is still being counted.