By Joanne Hughes BBC News Online

Following the lead of the ladies of the Women's Institute who put down their jam to go naked, 12 cinema workers in Wrexham have left the popcorn behind to bare more than just their soul.

For the Yorkshire ladies of Rylstone WI, their story has been turned into a big-budget movie starring Helen Mirren and Julie Walters.

Amy Clarke bared all as Miss December

As for the six men and six women of the Odeon cinema, they have been catapulted to small-time fame and curious glances across the popcorn counter.

However, their nude calendar has already raised hundreds of pounds for local hospice Nightingale House, and the team admit the showbiz tale bears more than a passing resemblance to theirs.

"It does represent a lot of what we did - everybody getting nervous and having a little drink before we did it," said Miss July, otherwise known as Wendy Morris.

"I had a really good reaction, not so much from my boyfriend but he's warmed to it now and he's got a calendar on his desk in work," added the 21-year old from Wrexham.

"The women in the film get a really good reaction too because it is for a good cause.

"It's not pornography - it's for a good cause like Nightingale House or Leukaemia Trust."

Miss Morris said a lot of planning went into 'what not to wear' for the photoshoot.

Wendy Morris' boyfriend was sceptical about the calendar

"July the fourth is Independence Day so I'm wearing an American hat, I've got an American balloon and I've got an American flag covering most of my bits.

"It was just me and the photographer Peter who works in projection in the Odeon and it was really good."

Tracey Powell decided to brave a winter month and dropped her cover to become Miss October.

"Like the women in the film we were embarrassed about taking off all our clothes, especially in front of a man," the 37-year-old said.

"I could relate to Miss March in the film, she was about the same size as me and the same build and a bit on the quiet side.

"My mum was a bit taken aback because I'd taken off my top, but it's just a bit of a laugh."

Amy Clarke is the charity calendar's grand finale finishing the year as Miss December.

"I'm coming out of a Christmas box, it was a popcorn box wrapped up in wrapping paper so I'm like a present," she said.

Tracey Powell said she related to the film's Miss March

The 21-year-old, who saw the film for the first time on Friday, said there is one part of the film which is very familiar.

"They were all a bit embarrassed about getting their clothes off and, when it came down to it, I was embarrassed about getting naked in front of the projectionist.

"The public take it well [in the film] but the head of the WI weren't too impressed - we didn't have anything like that because everyone was behind us 100%.

"We borrowed the idea so everyone knows it's been done before, plus most of us are young and some of us are good-looking so it's had a good reaction from the public," she added.

Calendar Girls tells the true story of 11 WI women who were prepared to take off their clothes for charity, and in the name of one of their husband's, John Baker, who died of leukaemia.

In real life the ladies have so far raised �600,000 for the Leukaemia Research Fund, and do not intend stopping any time soon.

Calendar Girls opened nationwide on Friday

On Friday, when the film was shown for the first time nationwide, more than 100 women from WI's across Wrexham attended the Odeon cinema to see the movie.

At 1505 BST, the ladies came out of the auditorium laughing, clutching each other for support and with tears in their eyes.

"I only wished I'd thought of the idea before them, it was a wonderful film," said Glynis Jones from Chirk WI in Wrexham.

"I doubt I could get Chirk WI to do it but I could ask them."

Betty Smith from Llangollen WI in Denbighshire caused amused laughter when she mischeviously told BBC News Online, "We might do something, it gives you ideas".

As they left the cinema in dribs and drabs their amused laughter hung in the air.

With their nude cinema calendars tucked under their arms, Wrexham's WIs may never be the same again.