STAFF at Newton Aycliffe lawnmower manufacturer Flymo raised £1,200 for charity in a day-long fundraising event.

More than 500 employees, plus suppliers and visitors to the plant, each paid a donation to don bright orange sunglasses, with the more daring paying a premium price to wear extra silly huge clown glasses.

The vision appeal day raised money for registered charity Vision Aid Overseas, to coincide with the launch of the company's new Turbo Compact Vision mower.

In addition to a one-day meeting tariff, where all attendees were required to make contributions before the meeting started, several members of staff even took to impersonating famous bespectacled faces, including comedians Ali G and Dame Edna Everage, and singer Elton John.

Flymo has also set up collection points around the site throughout April for staff to donate old or unwanted spectacles, which Vision Aid Overseas will distribute to people in less developed countries.

Andrew Mackay, UK marketing manager at Flymo, said: "Most importantly, we have raised both a smile and some money for a very worthwhile cause, helping people less fortunate than ourselves. The demand for glasses was phenomenal, and by late morning we had completely sold out.

"One of our staff even resorted to strapping a vision window from one of our new mowers to his face in order to join in."

Pupils at Elmfield and Heighington Primary Schools supported the appeal by collecting glasses.

Shewans Opticians, in Newgate Street, Bishop Auckland, is running a promotional campaign where customers are offered a 20 per cent discount on a pair of spectacles when they bring in an old pair for donation to Vision Aid Overseas. The charity is also appealing for people to donate unwanted spectacles to their local opticians.