PUPILS at Bure Park Primary School in Bicester enjoyed dressing up as their favourite superheroes to raise funds for Children in Need.

On Friday,pupils at the school in Lucerne Avenue were allowed to come to school in fancy dress, with many choosing to wear Batman-themed costumes.

Headteacher Rob Pearson said: “The whole thing was thought up by the children. It was the idea of those on the school’s council, and they took the plan back to their classrooms.

“It’s important that the children learn more about the lives of those who are not as fortunate as they are.”

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Harriet Gower, 10, said: “We like dressing up as superheroes.”

Conor O’Neill, 10, who donned his mask and cape for the occasion, said: “We like it because we can help people who don’t have what we have.”

  • STAFF from the Oxford Mail got in on the act, with the advertising team coming to work in fancy dress on Thursday.

Head of advertising Shane Harding said: “We were happy to raise money for Children in Need. About £1,000 was collected.

“Most of all we would like to thank all the advertisers who made this possible by donating money towards our fundraising.”

As expected, the team showed up for work in a variety of weird and wacky costumes.

One member of staff dressed as singer Amy Winehouse, while others became superheroes Buzz Lightyear and the Hulk for the day.

One dressed as a Pink Lady from the musical Grease.

  • IT may not be Wembley, but the playing fields at The Cooper School in Bicester hosted a tough battle between students and teachers in their annual football match Captains Dan Keen, 18 and director of post-16 studies Mark Doorley squared off before members of the sixth-form took on their teachers in front of watching students.

By the end of the day on Friday the school had raised £1,423.67 for Children in Need by collecting money from pupils, although the final total was yet to be announced.

But after all the excitement and build-up to the game, the result was a less-than-thrilling 0-0 draw.

  • FIREFIGHTERS at Woodstock Fire Station took a break from their life-saving duties to collect money in the town in a long-standing tradition.

The group started collecting in the High Street at 8.30am on Friday and visited shops and pubs all day.

The tour included Blenheim Palace where they met visitors and were greeted by the Duke of Marlborough.

About 12 firemen brought fire engines along. They were joined by Children in Need mascot Pudsey Bear.

Ben Richardson, a fundraiser, said: “I’ve done this for a long time and the station has done the same for more than 30 years, raising more than £100,000 for the BBC Children in Need Appeal in that time.

“We started out by the High Street and walked all around the town.

“In the evening we went to different pubs where people gave lots of money.”

Crews at Bicester Fire Station also collected £4,000 on the day.

  • THREE girls from Abingdon put their swimming skills to the test and raised more than £650 for Children in Need.

Kathryn Perkins, 11, was joined by two friends, sisters Izzy and Olivia Prior, aged eight and 11 respectively, to swim three miles each at the school swimming pool at Our Lady’s Abingdon School, in Radley Road, which Kathryn and Olivia attend.

They completed the feat with tuition from the school’s swimming coach.

Kathryn, a swimmer for eight years, said: “I had wanted to do five miles but my coach persuaded me to do three, which was probably the right thing to do.

“I don’t think I would have been able to do five miles anyway. My legs were like jelly afterwards. All three of us found it a big challenge.”

Her mum, Fiona Perkins, added: “Not only have these girls pushed themselves physically for a good cause, but they have done extremely well with fundraising with the pot at over £600.”

The girls were given certificates by the BBC Children in Need team.

  • IN Oxford, physical strain was the aim of the game for friends Craig Kane, 31, and Kevin Campbell, 62, of Headington, who held a 12-hour spinathon at Unipart House, in Cowley, in aid of Children in Need.

The Unipart workers started cycling at 6am and took it in turns on the bike until 6pm. Other Unipart workers joined in for 15-minute stints.

Mr Kane said: “Hopefully we’re going to raise about £1,500. It’s been a long day but we’ve had a lot of people come down to watch.”