THE whole country was having a laugh for charity today - and one brave rail employee was getting into the spirit of things by going bald.

Father-of-four Nigel Cross, 53, was being ceremonially shorn in the York Station Travel Centre by hairdresser Andrew Hide, all in aid of Comic Relief.

The GNER travel consultant said he hoped to raise hundreds of pounds for Red Nose Day.

"This is my contribution," he said. "This is a big step for me - I'm slightly apprehensive about it.

"I've had long, wild hair for my entire life.

"I want everybody to contribute to Red Nose Day to alleviate poverty in the world. I believe firmly in giving."

This year's Red Nose Day theme is the colour red - and children from across York were planning to don their best scarlet clothing in honour of the day's fun.

At West Thorpe toddler and playgroup, in Dringhouses, youngsters were all dressed in crimson when the Lord Mayor of York, Coun Janet Looker - honouring the occasion by sporting cherry-coloured tights - turned up to open their new slide.

The group bought their slide after winning a lottery Awards for All grant for nearly £1,000.

Playgroup chair Claire Gorwood said the children had spent the week eating red-coloured food, including strawberries, tomatoes and peppers - to mark this year's Comic Relief fundraising effort.

She said the group were hoping to raise about £50 for the cause, by selling home-made food to parents.

Group staff were also telling youngsters stories about poverty in other areas of the world to make them aware of the serious side of Comic Relief.

Claire said: "It's about making them realise that children haven't all got what they've got."

Comic Relief has raised more than £337 million since it was first launched from a Sudan refugee camp in 1985.

The money has gone to more than 7,000 projects in the UK and Africa - where it helps some of the world's poorest turn their lives around.

This year is the tenth Red Nose Day, with fun-lovers and fundraisers across the country raising cash by putting their wackiest ideas to good use.

Red Nose Live will be broadcast on BBC1 tonight, from 7pm.

Updated: 10:42 Friday, March 11, 2005