GRANGE-over-Sands ambulance service hosted a hugely successful charity auction and raised more than £7,300 in aid of the victims of the tsunami disaster.

The event at the Grange Hotel, which attracted 150 people, was generously supported by local companies, and some auction items were hotly contested.

Lots attracting enthusiastic bidding included two tickets to see Westlife, donated by Millennium Travel, a diamond-set necklace and ring valued at £400 and given by Wave Jewellery, and a lesson with a golf professional, donated by Carus Green Golf Course.

A paint-balling session for six people, donated by Holmescales Activity Centre, brought in the highest bid of the night at £205. The highest value lot donated was a full hearing assessment and custom digital hearing instrument, donated by Connor Hearingcare, and valued at £700.

Some of the auction lots donated were items that money cannot normally buy. These included a five-course gourmet meal cooked at someone's home by The Bridge Caf and Bistro at Newby Bridge, and an hour's personal climbing tuition at Lakeland Climbing Centre.

The ambulance service would like to thank every company which supported the event by donating lots for auction, and all the people who attended.

They would particularly like to thank the Grange Hotel, which donated the venue and food for the evening. The money has been sent to the Disasters Emergency Committee.

n Six gents who gritted their teeth as they underwent a sponsored body-wax and head shave have helped raise nearly £2,000 for victims of the disaster. Spectators gave generously at the sponsored hair-strip and fun day at Ulverston's Red Rose Social as participants lined up to go under the waxing strips of Spectrum Salon.

Organiser and volunteer Dave Miller, an Ulverston town councillor, lost both his eyebrows and chest hair for the cause.

"We thought the event would raise £500 so this total is fantastic," said the new smooth-look Coun Miller, adding. "The chest wax wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be but I wouldn't have it done regularly!"

n A coffee morning, which was organised by three primary school children from Kendal, has raised £564 for the tsunami appeal. Andrea Eggleston, Sinead Redfern and Olivia Dundon, all year 6 pupils at Dean Gibson RC Primary School, Kendal, organised the coffee morning which took place at the Holy Trinity and St George Parish Centre.

n Mary Kay Cosmetics will be offering facials and makeovers in the Bite Restaurant, Westmorland General Hospital, Kendal, on Wednesday, February 9, between 9.30am and 2pm in exchange for £5 donations to the tsunami relief fund.

n Lakes School pupils Daniel Monks, 12, and James Allen, 13, each swam 38 lengths of the Troutbeck Bridge Swimming Pool and raised £329 for the tsunami appeal. The pool was free for them to use for an hour.