North Devon does Children in Need

CHILDREN in Need fund-raisers across North Devon did the region proud with a whole host of madcap stunts, events and antics on Friday. The 30th annual appeal raised a massive �20.3million on the day and topped last year s record-breaking �38m total. In th

CHILDREN in Need fund-raisers across North Devon did the region proud with a whole host of madcap stunts, events and antics on Friday.

The 30th annual appeal raised a massive �20.3million on the day and topped last year's record-breaking �38m total.

In the South West, �416,401 was raised, helped by fund-raisers including 27-year-old David Rolfe, from Lynton, who braved the chilly November air to spend the whole day sat in a tub of spaghetti and tomato sauce on Barnstaple High Street. With only a wetsuit to protect against the cold, kind-hearted David collected money from shoppers to add to the amount he had already raised from a cake sale at Petroc the previous day.

Also in Barnstaple, Boots manager John Furnell swapped his usual suit and tie for a full Pudsey Bear costume. Meanwhile, students and staff at Petroc got behind the appeal with their usual enthusiasm and at Barum Court, residents raised �182.74 by designing decorative paper plates.

Over in Bideford, swashbuckling staff dressed as pirates for the day at Pasty Presto in Atlantic Village. Manager Lou Saleh and her team raised �175 by holding a bingo and ensuring service came with a cutlass and plenty of "aarrggghhhs" in the best pirate tradition.

At Asda, the modern supermarket had a distinctly olde worlde feel as staff dressed as an assortment of Medieval characters. Store mangers bravely agreed to spend time in the stocks and were left to the mercy of sponge-wielding colleagues.

For more pictures of events around the region, see Wednesday's Gazette or click here.