The team at the Great Yarmouth Mercury got into the spirit of the World's Biggest Coffee Morning yesterday, inviting the public in for a cupppa and a cake.

Local councillors, MP for Yarmouth Brandon Lewis and Mercury Editor Anne Edwards were notable among the guests, who also took part in a prize tombola.

Donations were received from local businesses as well as the chief executive of Great Yarmouth Borough Council Richard Packham, and in total the team raised �140.

The team were so inspired by the success they have now decided to make it a monthly event, for the benefit of various charities.

Among the other game volunteers in Yarmouth were the gas rig workers of Babbage Gas Field who again sat down for coffee and cakes on the helicopter deck of their E.ON Babbage Platform, 60 miles out in the North sea.

This year the workers - most of whom live in the Yarmouth area and spend two week stints offshore - were joined by their colleagues from the RWE Clipper South Platform, north-east of Sheringham.

David Batey, operations support manager for the platforms, managed by Offshore Design Engineering, said: 'They always enter into the spirit of it. They could turn up everyday and have a bacon roll and a cuppa for nothing, but extra treats get put on - like brownies and biscuits - and the guys are always happy to dip into their pockets.

'It was and is their coffee break, but this time they can raise money for charity.'

Mr Batey added: 'A lot of people haven't heard of Macmillan until they have had reason to use the service,' said Mr Batey.

'My father was nursed by Macmillan nurses, who were brilliant.'

Provocative 'sexy nurse' outfits were pulled from the cupboard as the women from Exhausts Unlimited in Yarmouth baked cakes and dressed up in a successful effort to inspire donations from the mechanics they supply with car parts.

Mary Khalil and LIsa Taylor sold cup cakes along with their usual daily deliveries, and even inspired one mechanic to pay �20 for one cake. Nicola Hayden-Hinds and Julie Leggett-Wright helped with the bakig side of things.

Kevin Yallop of Exhausts Unlimited said: 'This is awesome, they were up all night baking and they have done this all of their own backs.

'This is a national cause and great to get involved in, everyone is very generous. It is awesome, a massive success.'

The nurses raised �300, selling more than 300 cakes, which the company have doubled to make a total of �600.