Members of Hot Chilli Triathlon Club in Trowbridge put in a heroic effort to complete a 24-hour triathlon challenge as part of the fundraising activities taking place across Wiltshire for Children in Need.

The challenge saw the club attempt to swim the equivalent distance of the channel, run the equivalent of London to Paris and cycle the equivalent distance of Land’s End to John O’Groats.

They started the epic fundraising effort at 4pm on Friday at Trowbridge Sports Centre at Clarendon. The cycle and run took place at Tesco in County Way.

Membership secretary Darren Phillips said: “It was a great turn and we had some fantastic support.

“The generosity of the general public never ceases to surprise. The final total is still to be finalised, but it’s expected to exceed £3,000.”

Elsewhere in Trowbridge, eight-year-old Xandria Gilbert had the hair she’s been growing for five years cut off, raising about £150.

Mum Louise Gilbert said her daughter has been determined to grow her hair with the sole purpose of donating it to a sick child since she was three and had already raised £200 to meet the costs of making the wig.

Mrs Gilbert said: “She was quite shell-shocked at first but I think she is getting used to it. I told her it will take her less time to get ready.”

Wiltshire College’s Trowbridge and Chippenham campuses did their bit for Children in Need when beauty therapy students at Trowbridge staged leg waxing, raising £75, and nail art sessions, making £31, with students’ fancy dress, staff dress down and other donations bringing the campus total to £200.07.

Foundation Studies students at Chippenham ran a café, which brought in £32.82 towards the campus total of over £51.

Pupils at Melksham Oak, The Manor CofE Primary, Forest and Sandridge School, Shaw CofE Primary, Rivermead Primary and Aloeric Primary in Melksham dressed up or held non-uniform days.

The Mead Primary School in Trowbridge and Holt and Westwood schools also dressed up in line with this year’s official Children in Need superheroes theme, while Matravers School in Westbury held a live lounge music event.

There was lots of excitement at Wylye Valley School on Friday when Pudsey paid a visit. The youngsters had their photo taken and headteacher Mrs Downing and pupils Dom and Lily May were interviewed by BBC Wiltshire Radio. The staff and children managed to raise £200 and the governors agreed to match it.

Schools in Bradford on Avon all continued this year’s superhero theme.

Children from Winsley Primary, Westwood with Iford Primary, Fitzmaurice Primary and Holt Primary all dressed up for the occassion.

Prefects and house captains at Winsley Primary held a cake sale to raise even more money for the cause and sold all their baking creations to fellow students and parents. They managed to sell 375 cakes at 20p, raising a total of £75.

Westwood with Iford Primary decided that Children in Need would be its charity for the year. The school’s mufti day raised more than £90.