From baked bean baths to breakdancing, fund-raisers are preparing to get up to all sorts of weird and wonderful stunts for Children in Need.

Events will be taking place across the county today.

Children at St George's Nursery School, Leicester, have already been getting into the spirit.

Spokeswoman Gemma Panter said: "The whole nursery dressed up as animals last week.

"We also had a stay and play session, where we invited all the parents to come in, dress up and play with their children."

The nursery is holding a cake sale this week.

At St Mary's Fields Infants, in Leicester's West End, governor Jason Leavis will be taking a dip in a bath of baked beans at 2.45pm today.

He said: "It seemed like a good idea at the time. I'm not particularly fond of baked beans. I just hope people don't bring toast."

Uplands Junior, in Highfields, will be hosting several events, including fancy dress for pupils, a penalty shoot-out between teachers, sponge the teacher, Wii bowling and a play based on the film Back To The Future.

Blaby Lions Club is hoping to raise about £7,000 by stationing wheelie bins at the entrances to Fosse Park for drivers to throw loose change into.

Pudsey Bear will help the club at other locations, such as Enderby park-and-ride and Blaby precinct.

Over the past 20 years, the club has collected nearly £128,000 for Children In Need.

Blaby Lions spokesman Les Szabo said: "It ends up being a very long day, but we've managed to raise about £7,000 in previous years so we'll hopefully raise a similar amount again."

Shoppers at Highcross, in Leicester, can visit the Build-A-Bear Workshop. There, children will be able to make Pudsey Bear mascots, while a range of merchandise will also be on sale.

A hip-hop night and breakdancing contest will take place at The Music Cafe, in New Park Street, off Braunstone Gate, Leicester, at 8pm.

Nick Hutchins, DJ and director at The Music Cafe, said: "As a father, teacher and youth worker, children's charities are particularly close to my heart and we're proud to host what promises to be a great night."

The Orange Tree, in Bedford Square, Loughborough, is also hosting an evening of music.

Leicester band By The Rivers, fresh from supporting ska legends The Specials on tour, will join Martin Luke Brown and Izzy Marie Hall at East Midlands Children in Need Rocks.

Entry is free but a £2 donation is suggested.

Volunteers at TNT's Lount call centre, in Melbourne Road, will be manning the phones to take donations from the public on Children In Need night.

More than 150 employees in fancy dress will be helping out and there will be games, a charity auction and a raffle.

Administrator Hannah Plant said: "Every year it amazes us how many people want to man the phones."

And Abbeyfield Society is holding a buy a cake day with Children In Need items also available. The sale is from 9.30am until 4pm. People can just turn up during the day to Abbeyfield Society, Holloway House, in Quorn.

Are you doing anything for Children in Need? Call reporter David Sharman on 0116 222 4272.

You can send your pictures to picturedesk@leicestermercury.co.uk and upload them straight to the website here: www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/pictures