Baths in baked beans and teachers making fools of themselves – the wacky fund-raising antics could only mean one thing.
It was Children in Need yesterday.
Thousands of people joined in the fund-raising to help projects working with under-privileged and disabled youngsters.
Sixth formers and staff at St Paul's Catholic Secondary School, in Evington, Leicester, performed the Gangnam-Style cult dance to cheers from the rest of the school.
Teacher Jonathan Dawson said: "It was fantastic. We all dressed in neon outfits and pupils paid £3 for the privilege of watching us makes fools of ourselves.
"Everyone was cheering us on and we managed to raise £545."
Louise Moore, a trainee designer from Whetstone, raised more than £1,000 – and a few eyebrows – by sitting for five hours in a bathtub of baked beans, wearing only a bikini.
The 20-year-old, who staged the stunt at her workplace, building firm Jelsons, in Loughborough Road, Leicester, said: "It was horrible and really cold. I was absolutely frozen."
It took more than 300 tins of beans to fill the bath and a few hot water bottles were added in an effort to keep her warm.
Elsewhere, more than 260 staff at parcel firm DHL's call centre, at East Midlands Airport, manned the phones for the BBC from 7.30pm until 1am.
It followed a day of fund-raising, including a raffle, boss-gunking and dancing, with one unfortunate employee getting a gloss of fake tan every time the funds reached a certain benchmark.
Gary Schaffer, vice-president for customer services, said: "We were proud to be involved with Children in Need for the fourth year running, as it's such a worthy cause."
Olympic swimming legend Duncan Goodhew visited British Gas volunteers manning the lines at its base in Aylestone Road, Leicester, accompanied by London 2012 Team GB swimmer Ross Davenport and synchronised swimmers Olivia Federici and Katie Skelton.
Tim Bevans, of the British Gas customer services team, said: "Staff raised £1,500 during the week with a raffle and other activities and hosted a family disco on the night. It's been a lot of fun for a good cause."
Chefs from The Cinnamon Lounge Indian Restaurant, in Medbourne, raised £386 collecting on the streets of Market Harborough, where they enticed passers-by with free food.
This year marked the 33rd edition of the BBC appeal, with the Conkers visitors centre, in the National Forest, near Moira, chosen as the base for the BBC East Midlands team during the night-time telethon.
"We had all sorts of fun activities," said events manager Joy Tagg. "The place was buzzing."
Last year, the appeal nationally raised £46 million for projects as diverse as helping children with HIV and bereavement counselling.
Upload your own pictures of your Children in Need fund-raising antics to our website:
www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/ pictures
