THOUSANDS of pounds are expected to be raised by people with an outrageous taste in clothing, for the region's only children's hospice.

Extrovert characters from companies in Cleveland and County Durham searched their wardrobes for garish and unsuitable clothes to raise money for Stockton's Butterwick Children's Hospice.

More than 11,000 people took part in yesterday's Wallace and Gromit Wrong Trousers Day by spending a day at work wearing fun trousers or inappropriate clothes for sponsorship.

Among those taking part were non-operational officers of Cleveland Police's Ladgate Lane HQ, in Middlesbrough.

Chief Superintendent Terry Romeanes and Sergeant Steve Lawson led the way, collecting money from more shy and retiring colleagues.

Their ideas of fashion for the day included black and white checked shorts with a conventional police uniform.

Meanwhile, quantity surveying staff at the Stockton firm Faithful and Gould, on Teesside, sported specially printed hospice T-shirts and denim jeans. They went further to raise money by selling normally free drinks at work, while others sold home-made cakes and biscuits to colleagues.

The day was organised by Margaret Richards, Jenny Bates and Joanne Davison. Ms Bates said: "We had great fun on the day with staff entering into the charitable spirit. We have also been raising money all year in the hospice scheme for firms to raise £2,000 for the year 2,000.

"We have previously held an abseil and raffles and people have done the London Marathon and Great North Run.

"We are on target to raise the £2,000 by the end of the year for the hospice.''

Ray Laidler, hospice fund raising manager, expects about £15,000 to be raised for the day.

Anyone wanting to make donations can call Mr Laidler on (01642) 624231.