MALE staff members at a supermarket swapped their checkout shirts for cheerleader outfits to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign.

The employees of the Tesco store in Annfield Plain, near Stanley, raised £1,300 for the charity.

Adam Crooks, fresh food manager, and Ryan Piggott, grocery manager, both donned mini-skirts and pom poms for the day to encourage customers to give generously to muscular dystrophy.

Part of a weekend of events designed to raise money for the charity, the boys joined other staff members who dressed up in sports gear in exchange for a donation.

Members of the store’s staff also baked cakes and sold slices for the charity, as well as holding a prize draw for customers and placing buckets around the store to encourage shoppers to give generously to the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, which is Tesco’s charity of the year.

Mr Crooks said: "The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign is a very special charity, and we’re willing to do everything we can to raise as much money as possible for this cause, which affects a lot of people in our region.

"I’ve had a few funny looks today, but it’s all in a day’s work and it has encouraged people to donate money to the cause, which was what we were trying to do."