CHARITABLE people of all ages in and around Basingstoke proved they were good sports for a good cause.

Events took place in and around the borough to raise cash for BBC’s Sport Relief, with most events taking place last Friday.

The Basingstoke Bison hockey team joined in the fun at The Malls in Basingstoke town centre where a range of events were held by staff at Sainsbury’s, including egg and spoon races and a team relay that saw the Bison players go head-to-head with staff from the supermarket in wheelbarrow and sack races.

Staff from the supermarket also got in the spirit every hour, stopping to take part in a flash mob dance to Black Lace’s Superman to help their fundraising efforts, which raised £1,100 through bucket collections on Friday and Saturday.

Paul Beesley, Sainsbury’s store manager told The Gazette: “It has been fantastic, and it is a great cause.”

The RAF Odiham Eagles rugby team, pictured, really pulled in the pounds by taking up the challenge of pulling a Chinook helicopter for one mile to raise £1,000.

They were joined by 300 pupils from Buryfields Infant School and Mayhill Junior School, in Odiham, and Anstey Junior School, in Alton, who walked, jogged and ran their Sport Relief mile at the base.

Saddle-sore staff from the Basingstoke Country Hotel, at Nately Scures, also got in the sporting spirit with a 24-hour bike ride.

Twelve members of the hotel’s team started the ride at 7am last Friday, completing the cycle the following morning after collectively covering 382 miles and raising £600.

Chris Dewdney, leisure attendant at the hotel, said: “It was really, really good, but really tiring. This has taken it out of us.”

Staff at Basingstoke Aquadrome rowed to success, donning sporting outfits while rowing a mile each on one of the centre’s machines.

Customers using the centre were also encouraged to take part and a cake sale was popular with those who had earned a break from rowing.

Sales and fitness manager Dean Ridgers said: “We want to thank all our members and customers who donated while the team rowed consistently for the day.”

Schools across the area got involved in Sport Relief, which raised a record total of £51.2million last Friday night.

Pupils from Hook Junior School took part in a Sport Relief mile, and pupils at Bramley Primary School attempted to break a Guinness World Record for the number of people trying to pop bubble wrap at the same time.

Children from the Children’s House nurseries in Overton and Steventon helped to raise £440 for Sport Relief from cake sales and a jumping challenge which saw 29 children sponsored to see how far and high they could jump.