IT was a case of all things bright and beautiful as youngsters at Worcester's St Mary's Convent School dressed themselves in colourful attire.

Kindergarten and nursery children at the school, in Battenhall Road, as many bright clothes as they could get while reception and year one youngsters also came in in fancy dress. The children also made cakes and were selling them throughout the day. They hope to have raised about £80 in total.

Kindergarten teacher Gemma Cleary said: "It's going really well and everyone's got into the spirit of it."

IT was a case of get up and go at one Worcester school as sport took over all in the name of charity.

Pupils at River School in the city's Droitwich Road came in dressed to represent a whole host of sports including a youngster dressed as a golf ball and flag and others kitted out as surfers and tennis players, among others.

Children paid for the privilege and hope to have pulled together about £150 for the cause.

Geography and P.E teacher Mike Heath said: "There have been some really imaginative costumes and a lot of work has gone into it - it's been great!"

YOUNGSTERS at Bishop Perowne glammed it up to raise cash as they kitted themselves out in masses of sparkling jewellery for a 'Bling Day'.

Yesterday was the one-day in the Merriman's Hill Road, Barbourne school's calendar when pupils were allowed to wear as much jewellery as they liked in the name of charity.

Youngsters paid for the privilege, adorning themselves in tiaras, chains and rings and hope to have raised about £800. They were also entertained by Worcestershire DJ and rappers MC Fuller and CID, who came in to spin drum 'n' bass tunes behind the decks in a 20-minute set in the playground at lunchtime.

Teacher Steve High said: "It went really well and there was some really interesting music which fitted in really well with the bling theme."

LOLLIPOP ladies, Mexicans, cowboys and Indians took over Worcester's HSBC Bank as it did its bit for charity, with workers coming in wearing fancy dress.

Bank employers ditched their suits and ties and got kitted out in a wide range of fun costumes to collect donations from customers.

The bank, in the city centre's Broad Street, was also selling cakes and holding a raffle for hampers to get the pounds and pennies rolling in. They hope to have raised £1,500.

Wealth management advisor Heather Williams, pictured above with Roger Bunting, said: "It's been going really well.

"A lot of people are being really generous and throwing in £5 and £10 notes - I think people like us dressing up!

IT'S the one day of the year where people across the country really get to let their hair down and have some fun in the name of charity.

And yesterday pupils, organisations, businesses and the elderly and young alike across Worcestershire and Herefordshire all pulled together to ensure this year's Children In Need was as successful as ever.

The annual event really captured the imagination of folk in the two counties who organised everything from cake sales and charity walks to raffles, fancy dress days and teddy bears' picnics.

Possibly the oldest person taking part in the extravaganza was 95-year-old Hugo Jones, who braved the winter cold and went fund-raising in Worcester city centre, pushed around in his wheelchair by carer Jane Halion.

In previous years Mr Jones, who is blind and learning a tactile language similar to braille, has baked cakes to raise money for the annual event.

Elsewhere, another inspiring event was Bishop Perowne CE High School's 'Bling Day', where pupils were allowed to where as much jewellery as they liked to be crowned 'King of Queen of Bling'.

Teacher Steve High said: "It went very well - apparently the charity shops completely sold out of jewellery and I think the sales of kitchen foil went up as well as a result of our day!"

Pupils at The Chase Technology College in Malvern's Geraldine Avenue also took part in a X-Factor style competition last night.

And staff at HSBC in Worcester's Broad Street were among the many businesses who did their bit, with staff dressing up as Mexicans, cowboys and indians and lollipop ladies and selling cakes, raising about £1,500 in total.

The bank's wealth management adviser Heather Williams was invited to meet Terry Wogan last night to hand over the cheque for its contribution nationally, but had to decline as it was her hen night.

She said the event had not only caught people's imaginations but also the public's generosity.

She added: "A lot of people have been really generous, throwing in five and ten pound notes. It's been really amazing"

Pupils at Leapfrog Day Nursery in Warndon, Worcester, Whittington CE Primary School in Whitting ton, Great Malvern Primary School in Malvern and River School in Worcester's Droit wich Road were among those who paid to come in wearing fancy dress.

And more is still to come, as the city's Marr's Bar in Pierpoint Street gears up for a Punk For Pudsey charity concert tonight.

Face painting and other fund-raising events also continue at Jo-Jingles music classes in Worcester and Droitwich next week, having already raised about £100.

FURRY FRIENDS JOIN THE FUN

GREAT Witley Primary School had a wealth of furry visitors as it held a teddy bear's picnic as part of its fund-raising efforts. Children prepared everything from sandwiches and jelly to biscuits for the big event and also paid to come in in non-uniform. During the afternoon they also took part in various games and aims to have raised about £200.

SPIDERMEN, cowgirls, and witches took over Whittington CE Primary School in Worcester as youngsters there did their bit for charity.

The school's 206 pupils all came in dressed as what they would like to be and the name 'Pudsey' was also spelt out in the school playground in one and two pence coins.

They estimate to have raised a total of £275.

Headteacher David Holt said: "There was a lot of parental support and everyone has thoroughly enjoyed themselves - it's been a great day."

NURSERY rhyme characters were brought to life by imaginative youngsters at Worcester's London Road Playgroup.

Children dressed up as everything from the Queen of Hearts and Little Red Hiding Hood to Incy Wincy Spider and Little Miss Muffet and also decorated Pudsey cakes and entered competitions.

The playgroup, in St Martin's Parish Hall, Victoria Avenue, off London Road, hopes to have raised about £100 from the activities.

Playgroup assistant Angela Green said: "It's gone really well and there's been a great response from the children and their parents."

How much did you raise? Contact wenedit@thisisworcester.co.uk or call 01905 742252.