THOUSANDS of people across Bolton got into the fundraising spirit to raise money for Comic Relief.

Youngsters at Gaskell Primary School celebrated with a Mad Hatters Tea Party and a competition for the silliest homemade hat.

At Woodbank Primary School pupils voted for which teacher deserved to be ‘gunked’ in assembly in aid of the charity, while Cleveland Prep School held a Frozen-themed sing-a-long.

Tots and staff at Moorlands Day Nursery in Horwich were invited to come in dressed at wild animals or all in red with crazy hair, and children from St John the Evangelist School in Bromley Cross were at RRG Toyota for a fancy dress car wash.

Staff at the Olympus restaurant on Great Moor Street were also out in fancy dress to help raise money.

Last night's Red Nose Day telethon was set to send the total amount raised by Comic Relief since its inception in 1985 past the £1billion mark.

Highlights including presenter Dermot O'Leary's 24-hour dance marathon, a James Bond sketch with Daniel Craig and Roger Moore, and special editions of TV favourites Little Britain, Mr Bean, and The Vicar of Dibley.

Peter Kay and his Phoenix Nights Live co-stars this week handed over more than £5million to Comic Relief from their run of shows at the Manchester Arena last month.

This year's official Comic Relief single is a special version of multi-award winning artist Sam Smith's 'Lay Me Down', in collaboration with John Legend.

Every pound donated to Comic Relief, founded in response to famine across east Africa, is spent on charitable projects in the world's poorest countries and in the UK.

Donations can be made at rednoseday.co.uk.