SOME of the biggest names in UK entertainment joined forces to do something funny for money last Friday, and locally there was no shortage of people joining in the charity fundraising on Red Nose Day.

SOME of the biggest names in UK entertainment joined forces to do something funny for money last Friday, and locally there was no shortage of people joining in the charity fundraising on Red Nose Day.

A record breaking �57.9m was raised by the British public last week as people of all ages united in a wide variety of ways to help projects across the UK, Africa and throughout some of the world's poorest countries. Across the region people dressed in pyjamas, dyed their hair, dressed up, shaved and undertook a massive range of activities as they joined in the fun.

Victoria Pre-School, in Lowestoft, had a sponsored dress in pyjamas day, while two children shaved their hair.

Young Jack Wilmot joined in the fun dying his hair red for the day as Brambles Nursery wore funky hats, had funky hair styles and sold red nose muffin cakes.

Students at Benjamin Britten High School managed to raise over �1,000 by selling red noses, undertaking sponsored silences, and wearing non-school uniform, while the sixth form held a sleepover at school and performed Whose Line Is It Anyway?

Benjamin Britten pupil Ryan Holt was also involved in a Big Cookie Bake together with the Young Entrepreneurs Project. The event saw pupils at Corton Primary School challenged to bake and decorate as many cookies as they can in an hour.

One local business that played a big role in the day was Hoseasons. Staff from the firm together with other businesses donated their services to help man the official donation line, while they also held a number of fundraising activities throughout the day.

Chief executive Richard Carrick was joined on the phones by Waveney MP Bob Blizzard as their team of 100 took 2,496 calls throughout the live TV extravaganza on BBC1.

A number of local groups and clubs also held special fundraising events.

The Salsa Class, at Wangford, held a Strictly Comic Dancing event, where dancers enjoyed the chance to try a range of dances.

The Lowestoft Kuk Sool Won School decided that they would raise funds by kicking and punching their way through a variety of plastic target-boards, while its sister Kuk Sool School, in Halesworth, also held an event last Thursday.

Even after the dust had settled from the spectacular's evening of activities, fundraising continued in the area.

On Saturday a red nose fishing match was held at the South Pier, in Lowestoft, while Brian Carver, of High Street, Kessingland, had half of his beard shaved off at Reddz, in Lowestoft.