WHEN pregnant butcher Emma Edwards-Brady learned her husband was deploying to Afghanistan with The 3rd Battalion The Rifles last September, she saw an opportunity to help raise money for a cause close to her heart.

Emma, who helps run the Farm Fresh Meats farm shop, near Hatherleigh, with her family, decided to run a competition based around her forthcoming baby.

Emma said: 'So many of our customers kept telling me what weight and sex my baby would be, I decided to run a competition.'

Customers were invited to buy a square with a weight and another square with a name in the hope of winning a hamper from the shop.

Emma said: 'People were surprised to see me still working in the shop over Christmas and the competition became a real talking point, with people wanting to look at my bump in the hope that that would give them an advantage.'

In total Emma raised more than £400 for Help for Heroes and is continuing to fundraise by selling wristbands.

Emma said Help for Heroes was a very worthy cause which had become even more relevant for her while her husband was away on operations.

Emma's husband Sean, a captain serving in Edinburgh, safely returned home from Afghanistan for the birth of Harry, born 16 days late on January 14.

The hamper was won by Mr Thomas, of Highampton, who correctly predicted that Harry would weigh 9lb 8oz.