BEAUTY consultants delivered a charity message by taking part in a nationwide relay event.

The Message in a Bottle challenge, involving self-employed Body Shop at Home party plan consultants, began at the organisation's headquarters, in Littlehampton, West Sussex.

It is moving around the country, before returning to Sussex on June 13.

Yesterday, a team of four consultants representing the Durham area, accompanied by two from head office, completed the local leg of the relay.

After the relay's baton got a lift from Darlington with the help of the Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Brigade, the team took it, along with a bottle, from the Arnison Centre, in Durham, to Sunderland City Centre, stopping at pubs along the way.

They set up camp in a car park, where they gave out balloons and leaflets and collected money, before handing the baton to Sunderland colleagues.

Proceeds will go to Protect the Child, a charity launched by The Body Shop Foundation, which supports projects working to stop child sex abuse.

Allan Bell, managing director of The Body Shop at Home, said: "This event epitomises the values that we stand for as a company."