A woman from Harpenden is gearing up to complete a bumpathon, which will see her paint the bumps of mums-to-be to raise money for charity.

Glyn Goodwin is encouraging pregnant women to come forward so she can paint their stomachs to raise money for Comic Relief.

The professional face painter has been painting for 28 years, after she began practising on her two children Sarah and James.

The 58-year-old admits the stomach painting is like "marmite" and people "either love it or hate it."

What started as a fun idea of painting baby bumps by Mrs Goodwin and her colleagues, it has now turned into a nationwide event and face and body painters all over the country have joined together to paint as many bumps as they can before Red Nose Day.

Since 2009 the team has raised over £9,000 through sponsorship money and this year will be no different.

Mrs Goodwin of Coleswood Road, said: "Painting pregnant tummies is very much like a massage and can be a therapeutic experience for many women. Many say it is relaxing and soothing away from the stress of having other children or being pregnant."

She will now face the challenge of painting as many bumps between March 8 and March 22.

Her designs range from nativity scenes, nursery rhyme characters, under the sea, in the jungle and a jigsaw.

Mrs Goodwin said one of her proudest designs is a tiger, which was recognised in an art competition organised by Snazaroo face painting.

She has painted around 25 baby bumps and recalled the times her clients have used it as their Christmas card image, or displayed them as a photo in a baby memento book or in their child’s nursery.

Mrs Goodwin said: "While painting I sometimes feel the baby move, which can sometimes change the shape of the design. However as long as the woman is relaxed, the baby doesn’t move all that much."

She added painting pregnant stomachs was very much like painting a face but without having to negotiate around face features and it being a larger space to work with.

Mrs Goodwin said: "It is quite an intimate thing to do and it is a very humbling and privileged experience for the women to let me do, which I completely respect."

She reassured the paints used are safe on skin and water based and the design can take up to two and a half hours, depending on the design the mother wishes to have.

Mothers who are willing to have their stomach painted are asked to pay £5 and then encouraged to raise sponsorship, with all proceeds going to Comic Relief.

For more information contact Mrs Goodwin on 01582 764360 or 0797 907 1287, or by email on enquiries@fantasticfacesbyglyn.co.uk