Gazette Newspapers staff have played a big part in a Basingstoke club's fundraising effort - by photographing its rugby players in unusual poses for a very special calendar.

The Down Grange-based club is trying to raise £250,000 for a series of wide-ranging improvements, and one fundraising idea was for the club to produce a calendar with a difference...

Twelve members of the first team agreed to strip off and be featured in the buff - but it's all done in the best possible taste.

Gazette Newspapers - which is supporting the fundraising campaign - offered to do the photo-shoot, which took place at the club's Basingstoke headquarters.

Picture editor Jason Allen and senior photographer Sarah Gaunt snapped the players in various poses on the pitch and inside the clubhouse.

The calendar went on sale in the second week of November and within days several hundred of the first 3,000 print-run had been sold.

Editor Mark Jones said: "This is undoubtedly one of the most unusual photographic jobs that Gazette Newspapers staff have been involved in but we are all delighted with the end result.

"I'd like to thank my photographic team for a superb effort in compiling the pictures for the calendar.

"The rugby players were great sports and everyone involved in the fundraising appeal is confident that the calendar will sell well."

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