WHEN it comes to being cool, the new Mayor of Bolton left her predecessors in the shade.

Cllr Prentice Howarth has donned a pair of trendy dark glasses to raise money for the "Shades for a Day" campaign today.

The event, organised by The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, aimed to raise awareness about the importance of looking after your eyes in the sun.

Cllr Howarth was among thousands of schoolchildren and workers raising funds by paying to wear their shades.

The charity is to use the money to fund research into eye diseases which is essential to understanding the causes of blindness.

The scheme is part of a wider eye care campaign aimed at highlighting the sun's harmful effects on the eyes.

Damaging Ultra Violet rays from the sun can lead to an increased risk of cataracts and eye cancer.

Cllr Howarth said: "We we are giving people an important message about looking after their eyes."