Big Hair Do tops Red Nose record

Red Nose Day 2003 has raised £60,027,424, the largest amount in its 14-year history.

The figure is equivalent to £1 for every man, woman and child in the UK.

The events' host, comedian Lenny Henry, thanked the British public for helping Comic Relief 2003 raise the record-breaking amount for charity.

"From raising £15,816,555 on the first Red Nose Day in 1989 to reach £60m in 2003, it is just absolutely amazing," he said.

Hair raising

"Everyone who got involved in Red Nose Day 2003, or who has lent their support in the past, should feel really proud of themselves".

This year - with hair as the theme - the nation sold out of red hair spray as hundreds of thousands of people joined in the follicle fun.

After seven hours of comedy and entertainment on BBC One, the 2003 Comic Relief Night total reached £35m - beating the previous year's total by £12.5 million.

Since the 14 March programme, the money has continued to pour in.

Life saving

Over the next two years Comic Relief will spend the money raised funding projects at home in the UK and in Africa.

Florence Namukwaya, 18, from Uganda is head of a family of 14 Aids orphans including her brothers, sisters and cousins, and is one of those benefiting from the fundraiser.

Both of Florence's parents died of Aids and she alone struggles to feed the family.

We are so happy people in Britain haven't forgotten about us Florence Namukwaya, Uganda

Florence has been helped by The Send a Cow charity, started by British farmers and funded by Comic Relief.

"I am mother to 14 children - all their parents have also died of Aids. It is very difficult to feed them all. This cow will feed us and we will sell the extra milk. It is our second cow from the project," she said.

"We are so happy that people in Britain haven't forgotten about us".