HYNDBURN went red-nose crazy to raise thousands of pounds for Comic Relief.

All around the borough, schools, colleges and community groups thought up novel ways of raising cash.

In Great Harwood St Wulstan's Scouts swapped their toggles for T-shirts and jeans when they held a non-uniform fun day and raised well over £150. The children were given red boxes to take home to raise more money and the final amount was being counted up today.

Pupils at St John's School, also ditched their uniforms for the day and were treated to a performance by Manchester Theatre Group, Daredevil Dexter. They expect to raise around £100.

In Rishton, St Charles' School, held a wear what you want day and a Fame Academy event. They raised a total of £175.

Baxenden Primary School head John Howard turned up his shirt collar and a few heads, when he dressed as Elvis. The rest of the staff dyed their hair red or donned big red wigs for a concert. The school raised £160 through a non-uniform day and there was also a joke competition during assembly.

The aroma of cakes, biscuits and chocolate flakes wafted through Huncoat Primary School when pupils got their teeth into a bakery session for Comic Relief. Around 200 children helped make the tasty treats which helped raise £300 for charity.

Youngsters at schools in Oswaldtwistle painted the town red as they joined in with the Comic Relief capers, raising more than £1,500 in total.

In Oswaldtwistle Rhyddings High School pupils paid £1 to ditch their school uniform and take part in a "Wear Red" day, complete with red spray-on hair glitter, wigs and hats. Prizes were given to the best-dressed pupils and teachers from each year group and the total amount raised was £1,100.

Big-hearted kids at White Ash School raised more than £40 with headteacher Brian Frew joining in to have his hair dyed and covered in glitter.

Year 10 and 11 students at Broadfield School took a welcome break from lessons to hold a bring-and-buy sale raising £160.

Kids at Moor End School raised £260 thanks to a non-uniform day and to spray their hair in different colours. Staff also joined in the fun by wearing wigs and baking red-nose biscuits for the children.

  • A COMIC Relief day at Hyndburn Park Primary School, Accrington, raised a grand total of £1,000. A series of fun events held at the school provided the kids with the chance to get their own back on some of the staff by throwing custards pies in their faces.

The youngsters bought raffle tickets for the privilege of throwing pies in the faces of head teacher John Boden, deputy head Alan Timmins and their colleague Keith Wiggins. Eleven-year-old Seherish Ahmed won a competition to find the worst hair style and won a hair-styling kit.