A NURSING home matron shed her traditional uniform this week and went to work dressed as a clown.

Tina Lambert, 43, is also a director of Nightingale Hall Nursing Home in Richmond.

She has been sponsored to wear the costume as the home is raising cash to buy a new minibus for the residents.

The idea was suggested at a residents' meeting. They said she had to wear the outfit in public and gave her a number of tasks to carry out.

These included going out shopping in Richmond, escorting residents to the dentist and attending her evening course at Darlington College's Catterick campus, all wearing the costume.

She said: "I said they could choose anything for me to do as long as it wasn't dangerous and when they said dress up as a clown, I thought it would be a doddle.

"But it was quite a challenge to go out of the front door on the first day.

"Some people are quite shocked, some people are laughing and others just walk past me as if I am normal."

So far she has raised £1,200 towards the minibus fund.