A GROUP of young rugby players had a close shave in memory of a team mate who died last year.

Friends of Stourbridge Rugby Club player and Old Swinford Hospital pupil Tom Mole lined up for a grade one in memory of the 14-year-old, who died at Birmingham Children’s Hospital in April 2018 after a short illness

Tom, who would have had his fifteenth birthday last week, was a popular player at the Stourbridge club, which hosted the head shave on February 3 to raise cash for Birmingham Children's Hospital and Cancer Research UK.

SRFC junior team coach, Chris Roe, said: "It was all organised by the boys themselves, it is testament to the way they have responded, they wanted to do this.

"They have been brilliant, they are 14 and 15-year-old kids - I'm really proud of them.

"The support of their teachers and the club has been great, it's making a positive out of a negative."

Fundraising efforts in Tom's memory and also to support the family of fellow player Ben Taylor, whose mother has cancer, has generated an amazing amount.

Mr Roe added: "We have raised not far off £50,000, it will never bring Tom back but it's something."

Members of Tom's team were joined by several of his former classmates for the head shave.

Jason Hampton, along with colleagues from J&R gents stylists in Stourbridge gave up their time for free to shave the scalps while some of the boys dyed their hair pink ahead of the big day.

To make a donation in memory of Tom or to support Ben Taylor visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/tommoleandcancerresearchtrust or justgiving.com/fundraising/srfcu14