FITNESS fanatics and sports fans all over Swindon are donning their trainers and working up a sweat this weekend, to raise money for underprivileged, ill and abused children around the world.

Rowing competitions, three-legged races, golf matches and darts contests will be taking place over the next few weeks, as businesses and health centres around the town pull together for the national Sport Relief campaign.

Members of the Marriott Gym on Croft Road will be pulling their weight in a Golden Mile rowing challenge tomorrow, and organiser Tim O'Mahoney hopes that together they will raise more than £2,000 in sponsorship.

"We've been doing lots of things for Sport Relief so far we've had a quiz, an open day and more, and so far we've raised about £1,400.

"With the sponsorship from the rowing challenge, we should raise much more than that."

On the other side of town, employees at the Westlea Housing Association have already begun fundraising for Sport Relief, which is organised by Comic Relief, and aims to help suffering children around the world.

They have raised more than £100 so far, through table tennis competitions and football tournaments, and they hope to make even more at their special Sport Relief Day next Friday.

Employees of financial company Zurich will be dressing in their sports gear tomorrow, and donating £1 each for the privilege.

Over the next few weeks, they will hold netball matches, pool nights and a sports quiz in aid of the charity.

But perhaps the wackiest ideas have come from staff in the physiotherapy department at Ridgeway Hospital in Wroughton.

Staff and visitors will be encouraged to join in a variety of events next Tuesday, paying £1 to enter, and £2 if they don't.

"We will have an assault course, and a continuous three-legged race around the hospital," said Sherralyn Gower, receptionist in the physio department.

"There will be a game of 'pluck a duck' from the hydrotherapy pool, a penalty shoot-out and much more."

"Most of the staff have promised to join in, and it seems appropriate that a physio department should join in a sport relief event."

The Evening Advertiser will also be joining in the charity fun staff at the paper will take on BBC Wiltshire Sound in a penalty shoot-out at the Country Ground, with BBC sports presenter John Inverdale playing in goal.

The Sport Relief telethon will be broadcast on BBC1 tomorrow night.