WYLAM residents put their heads and hats together to raise awareness for brain tumours.

National Wear a Hat Day culminates Brain Tumour Awareness Month which seeks to educate people on the symptoms and effects of brain tumours on sufferers.

The people of Wylam donned hats of varying styles and colours and donated money to the cause in events coordinated by Viv Smith.

She said: "It has been a great week. Hats out in force wherever you went."

According to the Brain Tumour Charity, less than 20 per cent of those diagnosed with a brain tumour survive beyond five years, compared with an average of 50 per cent across all cancers.

MP Guy Opperman threw his support behind the fundraising efforts having been affected by a brain tumour himself.

In 2011, the Conservative MP for Hexham and Ponteland collapsed in the House of Commons. NHS doctors discovered an undiagnosed tumour and he had emergency surgery to save his life.

It was feared that if he lived, he might lose his speech, eyesight or be paralysed but he made a full recovery and returned to Westminister following surgery and a long period of physiotherapy and rehabilitation.

He said: "It was fantastic to visit Wylam for Wear A Hat Day celebrations.

"I am one of the lucky ones. Some of the people in my ward didn’t make it.

"The range of hats at the celebrations was amazing.

"It is a horrific illness. The event raises awareness and raises vital money for medical research."