BBC Children in Need - Pudsey Bear is spotted in Newbury as the district joins in with the national fundraiser

Pudsey has been spotted in Newbury and children are heading to school in pyjamas and fancy dress. It can mean only one thing – Children in Need is back.

The annual BBC fundraising event takes place today (Friday) with schools, businesses, shops and individuals across the district taking part in a variety of events to help raise money.

Members of the Newbury 41 Club were up bright and early this morning to take their usual place - alongside Pudsey - on the bridge in Northbrook Street, Newbury, collection buckets in hand.

Elsewhere, one village pub has come up with its own way of boosting the funds – free beer for the whole weekend.

The White Hart Inn, in Hamstead Marshall, brews a range of real ales onsite and from tonight (Friday) until 5pm on Sunday (November 21), their “Saviour Ales”, as well as Symonds Cider, will be completely free of charge.

Instead of paying for the beer, customers will be asked to make a donation of their choosing to Children in Need, using collection buckets on the bar.

“Children in Need is a national institution, and our customers and staff want to get involved,” said owner Stella Coulthurst. “We wanted to do something really special – there can’t be many pubs giving away beer for the whole weekend!”

Let us know what you get up to this Children in Need. Send your stories and photographs to newsdesk@newburynews.co.uk