Thousands of pounds have been raised as Bradfordians joined the nation in donning red noses to help make a difference to the lives of thousands of individuals facing terrible injustice or living in abject poverty.

Hundreds of school pupils enjoyed wearing red non-uniform and took part in fundraising events.

Ghyll Royd Primary School, Ilkley, decorated the front of the building with a giant Red Nose and pupils enjoyed a football tournament, relay race and balloon race.

Headteacher Irene Connor, said: "Our boys were tucking into their red nosed meatballs' for lunch. I am delighted to say that while having so much fun our boys have also raised £254.21."

Children at The Preparatory School in Lightcliffe paid £2 to wear non-uniform - so long as it was red, and raised £225.20.

And pupils at St Barnabas Church of England Primary School in Heaton took part in a game of human bingo.

The school, which won a big red chair as part of the Andrex and Comic Relief Schools Competition, raised £854.

A brave manager at a seasoning manufacturer had his back waxed and raised £700. Stephen Matthews, of Gordon Rhodes and Son (GRS), off Mayo Avenue, Bradford had the hair on his back, which was two inches long, stripped.

He said: "It was quite painful - my back is red hot now. I think it will be all right for me to get a good night's sleep though, and at least it's all for a good cause."

Celebrities, as ever, were trying to do their part as well, not least Bradford's Kimberley Walsh, of chart-topping girl group Girls Aloud, who travelled to South Africa to visit a project funded by the Legal Resource Centre.

Kimberley, whose band recorded this year's official Comic Relief song with the Sugarbabes, said: "One of the things that I'll remember most from my trip to South Africa was visiting a family who were being forced from their land, as developers wanted to make way for a large housing development.

"It definitely puts in perspective what you have at home. The trip has made me realise how fortunate we are here."

Staff at Skipton Building Society in Market Street, Bradford, raised £91.42 by inviting the public to join in a series and competitions.

And at the City of Bradford YMCA on Trinity Road, Little Horton, a panel of judges decided on cheap and ridiculous outfits bought from YMCA charity shops across Bradford, raising £50.

Gym-goers in silly costumes pushed their levels of endurance and raised £464. Fitness First gym, in Eccleshill, ran 13 classes of different styles back-to-back, from 7am to 8pm.

Studio and events manager, Charlotte Stock, said: "I'm absolutely dying today! It was worth it, though, because we did have such a laugh and at the end of the day it is for a good cause."

Last night, 150 volunteers were on hand at Loop Call Centre in Thornbury to take telephone pledges. In 2005 the centre helped raise a massive £205,000.

This year staff at Loop went on a marathon of fundraising events in the run up to Red Nose Day, which included throwing wet sponges at the management team.

And staff at the Morrison's headquarters in Bradford raised more than £1,000 during a day of Red Nose activities.

The University of Bradford raised £300 as senior academic, Dr Ian Scowen, agreed to be gunged in a specially-formulated gunge, produced by its formulation experts.

Meanwhile, on the buses, drivers managed to raise money, as well as a few smiles, by wearing Red Noses.

Bus company, First, distributed 10,000 noses to drivers across the UK to remind people about the event as soon as they boarded the bus.

Khadim Hussain, operations director of First in Bradford, said: "We are proud to be supporting Comic Relief and giving our drivers the opportunity to raise a smile."

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