Children In Need 1998 gets off to a colourful start

Terry Wogan and Gaby Roslin hosted the seven-hour extravaganza on BBC One alongside a glittering cast of celebrities, while members of the public staged stunts and events across the country in what has become an annual fundraiser for youngsters and their carers.

By 0200 GMT total donations had reached £11,380,888.

Internet users pledged about £126,000 through the BBC Online site dedicated to Children In Need.

Terry and Gaby launch a night of fundraising

But there is still some way to go if last year's total of £20m is to be beaten. That sum was boosted by the proceeds of sales of the charity single Perfect Day.

The Spice Girls kicked off the evening with their Christmas single Goodbye - and mums-to-be Scary and Victoria proudly displayed their bumps.

Later in the evening the chefs from Ready Steady Cook - used to things getting hot and steamy at least in the kitchen - treated the audience to a Full Monty striptease.

Ready Steady Strip

There were more Men Behaving Badly when the stars from the BBC One show played a "super, smashing" Men Behaving Bullseye with guest presenter Jill Dando.

And the Changing Rooms team took it upon themselves to revamp a house live on air.

The show had a distinctly musical flavour as Big Breakfast duo Johnny Vaughan and Denise van Outen sang together for the first time to perform a take-off of Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan's single, Especially For You.

You can leave your hat on ...

The early-morning presenters plan to release the song as a Christmas single to raise money for Children in Need.

Boyzone and B*witched both gave live performances in the studio, and stars and children united to pay tribute to Frank Sinatra, belting out My Way.

Meanwhile, members of the public took part in activities ranging from sponsored haircuts to sitting in baths of baked beans.

One man loses leg hair for Children In Need

As the appeal nudged past the 10 o'clock mark, it was estimated that more than £1,000 had been raised from sponsored leg waxes alone - all carried out on men.

A group of special constables raised more than £2,000 by sponsoring a uniformed teddy bear to travel as far as he could in one day.

In just 12 hours the well-travelled bear was believed to have boarded several aeroplanes, and was eventually collected from Stansted airport halfway through the appeal.

Elsewhere in the country, choirs, dancing troupes and entertainers took to the streets to raise money with the appeal's mascot - Pudsey Bear.

But the real stars of the show were the children whose lives had been changed by donations to the appeal in previous years - and those who overcame their own difficulties to help others in need.

A cystic fibrosis sufferer explains how the appeal helped him

One young cystic fibrosis sufferer explained how his new collapsible bed - bought with Children in Need cash - meant that he could go on Sea Scout camp and take part in the same activities as his friends.

The programme heard from young victims of crime who said they had "started a new life" because of opportunities opened up to them through the appeal.

Another youngster with cerebral palsy told Songs of Praise presenter Diane-Louise Jordan how he had co-ordinated an effort to raise thousands of pounds for the appeal.

The 1998 telethon continued through to 0145 GMT on Saturday when the total sum raised so far was announced.

Children in Need Regional Totals

• Scotland - £653,418
• Wales - £534,818
• Northern Ireland - £421,944
• Newcastle - £302,163
• Leeds - £412,924
• Manchester - £641,730
• East Midlands (Notts) - £335,398
• Birmingham - £461,787
• East (Norwich) - £574,782
• West (Bristol) - £400,120
• South West (Plymouth) - £298,457
• South (Southampton) - £622,854
• South East (London) - £930,727