SCIENCE teacher Rob Kerr of Sheldon School in Chippenham had a close shave for Comic Relief, losing his 12-year-old beard for charity.

At Corsham Regis School it was a similarly hair-raising story, with teacher Tristan Middleton losing the whiskers he's sported for the last eight years.

Meanwhile, pupils at Hardenhuish School in Chippenham quite literally flipped for the day, with a game of giant tiddleywinks.

Elsewhere in the town, at Redland Primary School, the staff sported barmy barnets, while at Frogwell School, staff paraded about in some particularly outrageous outfits during morning assembly.

At Holy Trinity School, in Calne, Comic Relief started early with a fundraising breakfast.

The charity event saw 230 children and 80 adults tuck very heartedly into breakfast in the school hall, with bacon rolls proving to be the biggest money-spinner.

Kwik Save in Calne donated fruit juice and Somerfield supplied other ingredients.

The school estimates that more than £300 was raised at the event.

John Bentley School's mad cap events included an evening variety performance presented by staff and pupils.

During the day, there was fancy dress, with the head of drama turning up as Austin Powers and the maths department dressing as the Men In Black. There was mad hair in the art department, staff versus pupil matches in football, netball and basketball and Comic Relief cake baking in the technology building. Pupils could also pay a small fee to use a games arcade set up for the day.

Deputy head Philip Hamilton said he hoped all the day's events would raise more than £3,000.

At Chippenham Sainsbury's, on Bath Road, mad hairdos rounded off a series of fundraising events raising a predicted £2,000.

At Littlewoods in Borough Parade, the static cycle race reached its finishing line on Friday. Over the past week, 40 staff have clocked up 822 miles the distance from Land's End to John O'Groats. Mayor Richard Meek joined in by cycling the last few miles.

So far, £6,800 has been raised, double last year's total. The auction of a Comic Relief T-shirt signed by the Arsenal squad is expected to boost the money raised by hundreds of pounds.