Twelve brave women have posed for a glamorous calendar after having surgery to overcome breast cancer.

Underneath the make-up, hair styles and sexy evening gowns all the women in the calendar have a secret.

Each has either undergone a mastectomy or a lumpectomy, where part of the breast is removed.

After overcoming cancer, the friends have shown more courage by posing for photographs to raise cash and awareness for cancer research.

The calendar was the idea of Macmillan breast cancer nursing specialist Gill Starkey. She linked up with the 12 women from the Northumberland Breast Cancer Awareness Group who agreed to take part in the shoot.

Ms Starkey said: "These are ordinary people whose lives were left shattered by breast cancer.

"Their confidence was at an all-time low and by doing this it has really helped to boost their self image.

"They have all shown remarkable courage. We did this because we want people to realise there is life after breast cancer."

Calendar girl Marie Johnson, 31, from Felton, Newcastle, found two tumours in her left breast when she was only 30.

She underwent a mastectomy followed by six months of chemotherapy and a month of radiotherapy.

She said: "I want people to look at the calendar and think: 'Wow, she still looks great'."

The calendar costs £5 and is being sold to fund a two-night James Bond extravaganza at Newcastle Civic Centre on October 23 and 24. It is a fashion and design show featuring 25 Bond babes who have all overcome breast cancer. They will take to the catwalk to raise awareness of the disease.