Picture special: The region raises a laugh on Red Nose Day

RED Nose Day mania came to North Devon on Friday with a variety of weird and wacky events for Comic Relief 2011.

At Sainbury’s in Barnstaple staff raised more than �5,000. Tea “ladies� Stewart Gibson and Kyle Down sold refreshments, while India Hadland, Cassie Southcombe and Kat Watts spent the afternoon in an iced smoothie and mackerel bath!

On Saturday store manager David Evans — in his last day at Barnstaple — took a spaghetti shower.

Children and staff at Claire’s Newport Nursery dressed in red, made noses and enjoyed special Red Nose Day cakes for lunch.

Petroc raised �755 as sports staff and students completed an Iron Man contest, staff member Lee Weston endured a head shave and Nail Tech students provided nail art.

A team from Torridge District Council beat an Asda Bideford XI 4-2 at Victoria Park on Sunday. The good natured game raised upwards of �80. Council staff raised a further �250 on Friday.

South Molton Junior School raised more than �400. Youngsters washed teachers’ cars while 10-year-old Archie Reay had his head shaved, raising �280.

Stepping Stones Pre-School at East-the-Water, Bideford, held wacky races, as students from Bideford College made colourful cardboard cars to “drive.� Red Nose refreshments and fancy dress helped collect around �350.

Events in Marks and Spencer at Atlantic Village in Bideford included fancy dress and a monster tombola, raising �661.45.

Ben Prideaux, a catering assistant at the Edenmore Nursing Home, underwent a sponsored back wax, with the help of Nicki from Zig Zags hair and beauty salon.

Residents made their own style Red Nose decorations to add colour to the occasion. More than �40 was raised.

To view a gallery of pictures taken around the region, click on the multimedia link at the top right of this page.