Bristling with good ideas:

Exeter firm Michelmores hit upon a brilliant scheme to motivate the 600-plus runners (pictured warming up) in its second annual five kilometre charity run around the city centre: hire Noel Edmonds (inset) to fire the starting gun and watch those runners go as they try and escape Crinkley Bottom's most famous resident.

How disappointed they must have been when they reached the end and found the world-famous ex-beardie - he recently shaved off his famous face-fungus for charity - still there to hand out the prizes.

Partner Cameron Caverhill, whose brainchild the run was, said he hoped the runners would raise 10,000 for the Exeter Leukaemia Fund, of which Mr Edmonds is the patron.