Imaginations have gone into overdrive as the annual fund-raising spree of Children In Need is once again upon us.

You can donate securely over the web by visiting the Children in Need website.

Hundreds of groups and organisations have been racking their brains to come up with an array of creative, selfless - and just plain daft - ideas of how to raise money.

Daleks and Cybermen joined Pudsey bear for a stroll through Basildon taking time out from conquering the universe to collect cash for Children in Need.

The stage is set for a confrontation between good and evil at the weekend, when these dastardly monsters come face to face with their mortal enemy, in the face of former Doctor Whos Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy.

A two-day Doctor Who convention, held to mark the 35th anniversary of the series, is being held at the Basildon Centre.

It opens both days at 10.30am and runs until about 6pm, with tickets ranging from £12 to £38.

Here's a quick glimpse of what else is happening round the county:

Parkeston butcher Tim Gooch's hair is set to curl. Tim, president of Little Oakley Football Club , is having his blond locks permed to raise money for the event - and he may be getting it dyed too.

He said: "Club captain Kevin Simpson's wife Lauren gave birth last year and the baby was nine weeks premature.

"Afterwards she said she wanted to raise money for Baby Life Support Systems (Bliss) and she held a quiz which raised £150.

"She wanted to make it up to £200 so I said I would do something for Children In Need. I've already got £150 in sponsorship and that will be split between the two."

Students at the Sixth Form College on North Hill, Colchester, will be holding the final of their Giant Pudsey Twister competition that has been taking place all week.

Finalists will be getting themselves in a tangle to raise funds for the cause.

Two male members of staff will also accompany ten students in having their legs waxed for the charity.

The Auction of Promises held at the college in the evening will include one lot for Children In Need - a cuddly Pudsey. Bear - the symbol of Children In Need.

Pudsey will also be at the Community Resource Centre in Tiptree to help with the sale of tea and scones, bric-a-brac, cakes and secondhand toys until 3.30pm today.

And at St John's and High Woods Community Centre, Colchester, Pudsey will be joined by fellow bears at a bear's picnic between 11am and 1pm.

The Tiffany Stage Academy, Clacton, will be putting on a show at the Colchester centre in the evening. Admission is free but donations will be gladly received.

Tomorrow (Satruday), families can join Pudsey and go down to the woods in a treasure trail around the High Woods Country Park, Colchester. Anyone wanting to take part should collect clues and maps from the St John's and High Woods Community Centre between 11am and 2pm. The event is expected to finish by 3pm and entry costs £3.50 per family.

Paul and Sarah James, of Queen's Street, Maldon , will be dressing up and collecting all over the town today. Their costumes are a well-guarded secret and this is the eighth year they have collected. Last year's effort raised £902.

Pupils from Halstead's Ramsey School are raising funds by holding a non-uniform day. For 50p they can wear their own choice of clothes throughout today. The sixth form will all be dressed in red to help boost the charity's funds.

Sponsored discos, fancy dress and auctions will be held at the East Coast Rock Cafe in Harwich. The discos started at noon today and continue tomorrow. Revellers will be charged 50p for each request.

Springfield Radio Control Car Club in Chelmsford will be holding its fifth annual all-nighter race night at the Lea Valley Centre in Edmonton tomorrow from 9pm until 9am Saturday. They have raised £15,200 for Children In Need so far.

Staff at Essex Police headquarters in Springfield, Chelmsford,are holding a quiz night and organisers hope to match last year's donation of £1,800.

Staff at Midland Bank in Chelmsford are holding a non-uniform day all day. They will be wearing evening and cocktail dresses, serving sherry to adults and sweets to children.

BBC Essex's usual timetable will give way to a special series of programmes based on popular television shows. From 5 to 9pm an extended drive-time roadshow will be broadcast from the Cramphorn Theatre, Duke Street, Chelmsford.

Motorists intending to cross the Queen Elizabeth II bridge at Dartford are being asked to have more than the customary £1 toll at the ready as there will be extra buckets on hand for a donation to Children In Need. Members of Essex Lions Clubs will be out in force from 6am - many in fancy dress - to catch anyone leaving the county in the early morning rush hour.

The Lions will also be at railway stations, shopping centres and supermarkets across the county.

South Woodham Ferrers' Lionesses will be doing a pub crawl around the town from 7.30pm while Chelmsford Lions and Lionesses, in association with accountants Moores-Rowlands, will be collecting outside the High Chelmer precinct with their money pyramid.

All local schools have been invited to collect coins and arrive at the precinct at various times to put them in the pyramid.

Staff at Clacton's Argos store are holding fire before they rattle their collection buckets. To avoid overkill and take advantage of the Christmas shopping rush, their fancy dress day will be in three weeks time. Captain Hook, cowboys, and clowns will be putting in an appearance as 40 staff dress for fun for the special day on Saturday December 12.

Not Pudsey but Britannia Bear is raising cash in Braintree.The sought-after Beanie Baby is being raffled at Hedingham Models and Collectables with tickets costing £1. Shop owner Sylvia Thorogood hashad to donate her own bear for today's raffle.

It will be a close shave for two members of staff at the Longmead Court nursing home in Black Notley. Matron Penny Heap and male carer Marcial Magdalena have agreed to have their heads shaved for the cause and staff in fancy dress will look on as the clippers are raised at 3pm.

A mother-of-three from Witham, who has had revolutionary treatment for a major spinal problem, has now recovered so well she is doing a sponsored walk. Glenise Smith has been practising on a walking machine at the CrossPurposes Clinic in the town where she had the treatment.

A 12-hour sponsored bounce begins at Bramston Sports Centre in Witham at 6.30pm tonight. Around 70 children and adults will bebouncing their way through the night - some of them for the whole timeand others for two-hour stints.

At Stansted Airport a special passenger will be taking to the skies. An 18-inch teddy dressed in a Special Constable's uniform and with his own passport will be travelling on as many KLM UK European flights as possible during the day to raise money for the appeal.

Schoolchildren from Great Totham Primary School and keyboard player Colin Heaviside will be entertaining shoppers at Tesco superstore, Fullbridge, Maldon, today. They will be accompanied by clowns from Dressing Fancy costume hire in Heybridge. Last year they raised more than £1,000.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.