Hundreds take part in Shropshire Children in Need events

A host of weird and wonderful events took place across the region as people did their bit.

The BBC's Children in Need appeal raised more than £26 million during this year's live television show, beating the 2011 total.

Donors pledged £26,757,446 to the charity over the course of the seven-hour live entertainment extravaganza last night, but the amount is set to rise in the coming weeks.

Last night's event was kicked off from London's BBC Television Centre by Sir Terry Wogan, who was joined by co-hosts Tess Daly and Fearne Cotton.

TV and musical favourites taking to the stage to get the party started included One Direction, with a performance of While We're Young.

Girls Aloud also made their long-awaited comeback after three years apart, performing the official BBC Children in Need double-A side single, 'Something New' and 'Beautiful Because You Love Me' for the first time on television.

British stars Leona Lewis and Ellie Goulding, from the Shropshire border, also took part in the show while Australian songstress Kylie Minogue performed a medley of her hits.

Pupils from Newport Girls' High School joined former chorister Aled Jones and The Choir, which united 2,500 children across the UK in a performance of Bridge Over Troubled Water.

Meanwhile, youngsters from Weston Rhyn Playgroup, near Oswestry, put on their pyjamas to celebrate the day and also made Pudsey bear masks, got their faces painted and sold biscuits.

Students at The Marches School, in Oswestry, raised more than £500 when they held a non-uniform and fancy dress day.

Pupils at St Andrew's Primary School, in Nesscliffe, raised £259 by wearing pyjamas and selling biscuits and cakes.

Morris Cook Chartered Accountants, in Oswestry, held a dress down day and everyone made a donation to the cause.

At The Venue, in Park Hall, The New Saints football team players Scott Ruscoe and Greg Draper raised about £100 after being sponsored to have parts of their bodies waxed. Mr Ruscoe, the team's centre forward, had his back waxed and Mr Draper, a midfielder, had his chest waxed.

The Venue also held a children's colouring competition and a disco. It was expected that the activities that took place would raise about £200 for Children in Need.

In Welshpool, HSBC staff went to work in fancy dress and rode 110 miles on an exercise bike. At the town's Ysgol Maesydre, headteacher Russell Cadwallader, said all children came to school wearing something spotty.

Children from Ysgol Treowen in Newtown dressed in spotty costumes and had a day of fun and games.

At Ellesmere Primary School children and teachers dressed up in pyjamas and held a cake sale. Staff said everyone enjoyed the day and they expected to raise about £400.

Children turned up to Mount Lane Day Nursery in Market Draytonwearing fancy dress and raised about £100.

Pudsey Bear made a visit to Greggs in Market Drayton on Wednesday and staff in the bakery collected £240.

South Shropshire retailer Ludlow Food Centre cooked up a storm by baking Pudsey Bear shortbreads to raise money.

Pupils at Bishop's Castle Community College set up a cake stall during lunch time to raise cash.

Youngsters at Castlefields Primary School in Bridgnorth wore spotted clothing and covered a large Pudsey Bear with coins.

Claverley Primary School near Bridgnorth saw pupils having a 'mad hair' day after donating £1 to Children in Need.

Barclays Bank in Bridgnorth hosted a James Bond-themed day with staff dressed as their favourite characters from the franchise. The money raised will be matched through the bank's pound for pounds scheme.

Staff at the Severn Centre in Highley were holding a charity Zumbathon today. Participants were invited to carry out the exercise for an hour but those who were brave enough they could take part for the whole four hour event.

Crowmoor Primary School, in Shrewsbury, saw pupils wearing stripes and spots and some made cakes while others wrote poems and created new clothes for Pudsey.

Staff at Hatchers Solicitors in Shrewsbury raised more than £75 by dressing down or wearing pyjamas to work and selling home-made cakes.

Workers at the B&Q DIY store, on Featherbed Lane, in Shrewsbury, raised more than £2,500 when they wore fancy dress to attract customer donations – and Pudsey Bear also made an appearance. There was also a bake off event and two staff members shaved off their locks to raise cash for the cause.

Sixth formers at Severndale Specialist School, in Shrewsbury, completed a gruelling triathlon. They began the challenge with a walk around the nearby area, followed by a cycle ride before concluding the task with a swim in the school's specialist hydro pool.

Pupils at Woodfield Infant School in Copthorne, Shrewsbury, decorated the whole school in little Pudseys as they sold home-made cakes and put donations in a special 'Pudsey bin'. They also wore spotty outfits and took part in a competition to colour in a giant Pudsey.

Pudsey Bear delighted hundreds of children at Pontesbury Primary School after dropping by for a surprise visit.

Shrewsbury Sixth Form College hosted a variety of activities throughout the day with dozens of students and teachers performing a 'Gangnam Style' dance in the afternoon. Students and staff from the Visage Hair and Beauty Salon of Walford and North Shropshire College held a fashion show on Tuesday in the theatre of the Oswestry Campus.

It was a full house and with the help of a raffle the department raised £736 for the cause.

Staff and members of DW Fitness Club on the Telford Forge Retail Park dressed up and took part in a 12 hour swimming marathon from 8am yesterday. Young footballers with Little Kickers under 7s group in Telford and Shrewsbury were joining for a football match in the hope of raising £500.

Hadley & District Orpheus Male Choir in Telford held a sing-a-long for the charity at Castle Farm Community Centre.

By Chrissy Symmons and Ann Clarkson