DRIZZLING rain is not usually regarded as bikini weather - but a rowing team caused a splash when they donned skimpy cossies and started soft-soaping motorists for money.

The four King's School pupils are trying to raise £400 each to travel to Cork on Saturday to row for England in the Home International Regatta.

"The school is helping us out with a little bit of money," said one of the four-woman team, Caroline Hart.

"Our parents have had to pay for so many things over the years, so we are going to pay for it ourselves.

"We've got jobs, we're looking for sponsorship, but we needed to do something else."

Taking the joking advice offered by Australian exchange student Nick Cruickshanks, who helped coach rowing teams at the school, the girls decided to raise money by holding a bikini car wash.

Caroline Hart and Rachel Dawson, both aged 18, and Amy Wright and Elizabeth Lewis, both 17, gave punters' cars a good clean at the car park of the Bull Inn, Fernhill Heath, from 2pm yesterday.

Today, they will be in the car park of the Admiral Rodney pub in Martley.

Despite the drizzling rain, the quartet refused to let their spirits get dampened.

"Rain or shine, we'll be in our bikinis washing as many cars as possible," said Miss Hart.

The girls will be competing in the Junior Women's Coxless Fours on Saturday and then joining a team from Cambridge for the Junior Women's Eights, with fellow King's School pupil Emma Hirons, aged 13, who also helped out with the fund-raising car wash, as cox.

They will be taking on teams from around Great Britain, and are confident they will emerge victorious after winning the Junior Women's Coxless Fours at the National Championships in Strathclyde last Sunday.

"We're going there to win," Miss Hart said.