People across the North-East and North Yorkshire got on their bikes, dusted off their running shoes and took to the dancefloor yesterday to do their bit for Sport Relief

A HEADTEACHER was joined by more than 30 of his sixth-form students to walk 26 miles from his home to the school gates.

John Morgan and the pupils covered the distance from Whitby, North Yorkshire, to Conyers School, in Yarm, near Stockton, in aid of Sport Relief.

Windy weather did not deter the group, who arrived successfully in time for lessons yesterday morning, having walked through the night.

The rest of the school took part in a mile run, a man-versus-machine challenge and an aerobic dance session to try to raise £5,000.

Elsewhere, sporty toddlers at Rosedene Nursery donned football shirts and tracksuits to take part in an activity session Dozens of fundraisers are expected to take part in a six-mile cycle ride round the Tees Barrage this morning.

In County Durham, staff at Dale and Valley Homes, which manages the Wear Valley's council house stock, got on their bikes for the appeal.

They took turns on exercise bikes at their offices in Crook, and in Woodhouse Close, Bishop Auckland and were sponsored for each mile.

Employee Ian Temby said: "The fact that we had an exercise bike in the office created a real buzz and spurred everyone on to raise as much money as possible."

Students at Bishop Barrington Sports with Mathematics College, in Bishop Auckland, donated £1 each to wear their own sportswear and take part in physical activities.

Pupils from Sunnydale Community College, in Shildon, County Durham, ran the Sport Relief Mile in fancy dress during their PE lessons, raising £260.

Dance fever hit hundreds of staff and students at Darlington College as they boogied to nonstop hits.

More than 500 people at the college paid at least 50p to compete against each other in a dance-off.

The college hoped to raise a total of more than £700.

Teams battled against each other on eight electronic dance mats following moves on a large dance screen.

Darlington College student activities manager Diane Evans said: "The dance-off is a great way to get students, who would not normally do much exercise, active and fit as well as raise funds for Sport Relief."

The college health clinic team, run by Darlington Primary Care Trust (PCT), also took part in the event. Groovers included Dr Sheilagh Naismith, practice nurse Karen Robinson, and the PCT's Lesley Hunter and Helen Corrie.

Dr Naismith said: "It's a great way to raise money while having fun, but there are also some great health messages involved, as the mats log the time and encourage physical activity."

In Durham City, hundreds of red and white-socked feet stepped out on a sponsored walk in the shadow of a North-East landmark.

Nearly 200 staff and pupils at The Chorister School completed a one-mile walk by lapping nearby College Green, alongside Durham Cathedral.

Once the proceeds are tallied their efforts are expected to boost the Sport Relief fund by more than £1,000.

Event organiser, teacher Jon Bland, said: "It's a splendid result.

I am immensely proud of all our children.

"They've put a huge amount of effort into these events."

North-East television celebrities, including BBC Look North's Carol Malia and Lara Rostron, donned their bibs for the cause, taking part in a netball match at Newcastle's Centre for Sport, in the city's West Road, last night.

The rusty celebrities, most of whom have not taken to the netball court since their school days, played a local side as part of a free coaching clinic given by professional side Team Northumbria.

Meanwhile, fitness advisors from Bannatyne's Health Club, in Chester-le-Street, will help participants to limber up before the Sainsbury's Sport Relief Mile, at Gateshead's Saltwell Park tomorrow.

They will put the thousands of runners through their paces with a warm-up routine.

In North Yorkshire, pupils from Aiskew, Leeming Bar Primary School took to the school playground to run, walk or rollerblade a mile.

Other children covered the distance by walking backwards or dribbling a football.

The event was the idea of the school council. Children collected sponsorship money and took cakes and biscuits, which were sold to raise more money.

Elsewhere in the county, two staff from Sainsbury's in York completed a 45-mile cycle ride in two-and-a-half hours.

Phil Wardman and Tom Philpson raised £400 by cycling to Scarborough.

Sport Relief miles were staged at the University of York and on Scarborough seafront.