LEIGH is gearing up for Comic Relief.

Funsters galore are well ahead with organising their money raising antics for Red Nose day (March 12).

Two Atherton 12-year-olds Maria Stansfield and Leanne Phoenix are planning an eight hours non-stop sports day on Saturday, March 6.

They will start with swimming at Howe Bridge at 9am, then move back to Maria's Canterbury Close home to run, followed by tennis, bike riding, roller blading, walking, squash and badminton.

The girls are looking for sponsorship.

A gang of teenagers from Leigh College, led by Khalid Shakeel, and friends are planning a sponsored walk to Rivington Pike on Tuesday, March 9.

They will leave Railway Road early in the morning and camp overnight on the Pike before returning home.

They are also planning a sponsored headshave and Thai Boxing match,

Last year Khalid, of Riversmeade, Leigh, as a 16-years-old pupil at Leigh St Mary's High School, Astley, organised a fortnight of fund raising for the starving children of Sudan.

Now a student of Information Technology at Leigh College Khalid and his pals are looking for backing from local people for their latest venture. Anyone who feels they can help can contact him on 01942-763365.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.