FUNDRAISERS painted offices, shops, factories and schools red as they sniffed out money for Comic Relief.

Among those who showed he was dame for a laugh was Andrew Hall, who dressed up as one of pantomime's favourite characters to raise £257.56.

The 38-year-old dad endured freezing winds, wolf whistles and cat calls last Wednesday when he stood, from 10am to 4.30pm, near the entrance to the Shambles market hall in Devizes with his collecting tin.

He said: "The response was phenomenal. Some people put in £5 notes while others just emptied their purses into the tin."

Wacky hair was the theme at most schools in the area on Friday's Red Nose Day.

Pupils at Chirton Primary School joined the hue and cry, largely favouring to spray their styled locks red and green.

About £50 was raised by children paying 50p each for the privilege of turning up out of uniform and from the sale of red nose cakes made by one of the mums.

At Potterne School, staff and teachers went wild with wigs, styling gel and hair dyes.

Headteacher Clare Brookes and teacher Helen Townend were spoilt for choice when they had to choose the children sporting the wackiest creations.

Pupils at at Southbroom Junior School came up with a different fundraising twist when they wore their clothes back to front to help raise money.

Tables were turned on teachers at Rowdeford Special School where headteacher Glen Darnell and his deputy Ingrid Lancaster-Gaye got a soaking.

Pupils queued up to pay to chuck wet sponges at their teachers and all the money raised went to Comic Relief.

Over at the Devizes Visitor Centre in the Market Place, visitors paid £1 each to try to guess the name of the parrot belonging to staff member Sue Holloway.

Jasper, the eight-year-old macaw, was on top form, singing, talking and clicking his tongue at all and sundry. People were given the choice of 100 names but no one came up with the right one. However, more than £115 was raised for Comic Relief.

Students at Pewsey Vale School hope to have raised about £550 for Comic Relief once all the sponsorship has been collected.

It wasn't so much a case of letting their hair down, rather more of putting it up as they arrived with the wackiest styles imaginable.

On Friday they took part in a variety of sponsored events, including a complete silence to another where answers were limited to yes and no.

Year 11 boys and girls met in a netball challenge and, to the chagrin of the girls who play the game regularly, it was the boys who won.

Many pupils also took part in the Comic Relief harebrain quiz.

Meanwhile at Kennet District Council's offices in Devizes, staff raised £408 by selling cakes they had baked and by staging a mini-fair, including a tombola.