PEOPLE proved game for a laugh across Wyre Forest on Friday and made this year's Red Nose Day one to remember.

Schools, shops and factories came up with novel ideas to boost funds for Comic Relief projects aiming to alleviate poverty in the UK and Africa.

At Kidderminster sandwich shop The Old Bakery all five staff donned T-shirts featuring a picture of hapless builder "Dave" who used to visit the shop until the all-woman team started teasing him when he dated one of them. Vixx Hazlewood, Wendy Hazlewood, Terrina Perkins, Rachel Perkins and Heidi Lawley baffle customers at the Old Bakery.

Customers inquiring about Dave's identity were asked for a donation and more than £50 was raised.

Owner Wendy Hazlewood said the star of the show did not make an appearance on the day.

The grand total raised at Kidderminster's B and Q store was £350 after staff sponsored 16 managers to wear red and work the tills and about 20 children from the town's Sladen Middle School made red nose face masks to go on sale. Sladen Middle School pupils Joe Dyer and Adam Cousins, both 13, with red nose masks at B and Q.

The pupils - joined by be-wigged head teacher Tom Revell - also washed managers' and customers' cars and donations from the public topped off the fundraising.

Organiser Mike Hall said: "What really made the day was the lovely weather."

A whopping £1,100 will be handed over to Comic Relief from Kidderminster factory Ceramaspeed after shop floor staff challenged managers, directors and office-based employees to work on the production line for an hour. The £550 raised was matched pound-for pound by the company.

Pupils at Astley Primary School, Astley, coughed up for wearing "crazy hair and red clothes" and cakes made by parents went on sale bringing the total raised to more than £60.

Meanwhile their counterparts at Birchen Coppice Middle School in Kidderminster made £100 by dressing up as colourful clowns complete with unmissable wigs.

Seven dance students from Halesowen College visited Kidderminster's Swan Centre and performed contemporary, jazz and cabaret moves for two hours to collect almost £80.

A £30 gift from the centre brought the total to £108.

Two social workers based in Kidderminster, Richard Spencer and Tony Collier, went beyond the call of duty and had their heads shaved and have so far pulled in £200 in sponsorship.

Three people working at the town's GP Automotive also had the chop, attracting £250 from their colleagues.

Carol Barker, who lost her locks, said: "It was a bit of a shock at the weekend with the frost, but it's not too bad. It's growing back."