YOUNG and old are preparing to paint the district red tomorrow to raise a smile - and lots of money - for Comic Relief.

Schools, businesses and council workers will take on a host of crazy challenges to collect money for hundreds of projects to tackle poverty in both the UK and Africa.

And with the theme of this year's Red Nose Day the "Big Hair Do" plenty of outrageous bright red barnets will be on display.

But two Kidderminster social workers are going hairless when they have their heads shaved today for the national fundraising drive.

Richard Spencer and Tony Collier, based at the social services office in Bromsgrove Street, will get the chop at lunchtime.

At Kidderminster's B&Q store up to 186 staff have sponsored 16 managers to don wigs and noses and spend the day on the tills.

And a minibus full of dressed-up children from the town's Sladen Middle School will descend on the store in the afternoon to make red nose face masks and sell them to customers.

"We're going to make it a fun day for the kids and customers," said Mike Hall, a store manager and social events organiser, who is looking for a £500 haul.

Stourport schoolgirl Kimberley Turvey, 15, who attends Hagley's Haybridge High School, is helping organise a contest in which pupils condemn one of 11 male teachers to a leg wax.

Whichever teacher attracts the most donations gets the treatment.

Meanwhile, a red nose cake will be on sale at Astley Primary School, Astley, where 10- and 11-year-olds will take an assembly explaining where the money goes.

And Kidderminster Harriers was paid a visit on Monday by two national radio DJs as part of their tour of all 92 football league clubs to pick up merchandise for a Comic Relief competition.