LOOKING foolish for a good cause was the name of the game for thousands of Bradfordians taking part in Comic Relief challenges.

Schools, colleges, Bradford University and workplaces got funny for money, and even the cold and rainy day failed to wipe the smiles of the faces of those taking part.

And one Bradford girl had the focus of the whole country on her when she appeared on the BBC's Comic Relief broadcast in the evening.

Eboni Archer, 12, a pupil at Appleton Academy, Wyke, went to Africa in October after being chosen by Comic Relief out of 180 children from across the UK.

Footage of her trip to Kisumu in western Kenya, including a visit to the Widows and Orphans International Omega Foundation project, was one of many emotional videos shown during the evening broadcast.

While she was preparing for her time in the limelight, her schoolmates were holding a number of on campus events to raise money for the campaign, including soaking teachers with sponges, an enterprise event, the chance to take selfies with their comedy faces and learning more about Eboni's time in Africa.

Her four-day trip was part of Appleton Academy's long-standing link-up with Comic Relief, with the Wyke school having raised thousands for the cause in recent years.

Deputy head teacher Rachel Garlick said: "It has been a really successful day. We set the target of raising over £4,000, and I think we've smashed that."

Numerous events were held in Bradford College's new David Hockney building, included sponsored silences and students in a variety of bizarre costumes offering people the opportunity to pay to take a selfie with them.

At the University of Bradford, the admissions team completed a week long sponsored row and cycle, dressed as mimes for the last leg. Overall they "travelled" 503 miles between them.

Staff at Blakehill Primary School in Bradford were dancing in the school's corridors and classrooms for Comic Relief to create this fun video to the hit song Happy by Pharell Williams.

At Myrtle Park Primary School in Bingley pupils also took part in sponsored events like a run, silence and penalty shoot out.

Teacher Jonathan Tate said: "It's been a fantastic day and there has been all sorts going on. We've also had a funniest face competition. In class we've talked about the reasons we are raising money."

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Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

Matt Ketteringham, an IT consultant at Bradford-based Provident Financial, has spent the past week with his hair and bush beard dyed pink to raise money for the charity.

Today, he began shaving the hair off, but not before going to work with a pink Mohawk and goatee.

Other businesses collecting for the charity included TK Maxx at Forster Square Retail Park, which was selling official clothing with proceeds going to the charity, and LCF Law, where receptionist Julia Connor turned up to work as "Julian".

Comic Relief will attempt to break the £1 billion barrier with a day of fundraising and entertainment today.

Red Nose Day 2015 marks the 30th anniversary of the charity, which has raised £960 million and become something of a British institution since it began in 1985.