It was all sunshine, smiles and gurgling when BBC weather presenter Julie Reinger and her baby son Finn volunteered an hour of their time to help behind the counter at Sheringham Little Theatre's cafe on Sunday.

Julie and Finn were among an army of willing volunteers across Norfolk who gave up their extra clock-change hour in bed and offered their services to the community instead.

The Happy Hour campaign was the brainchild of BBC Radio Norfolk where Julie's husband - and one-year-old Finn's dad - Chris Goreham is a presenter.

While Julie and Finn were juggling coffee cups in the Station Road theatre, dozens of other folk were devoting their hour to cleaning nearby Sheringham beach; a scene repeated down the coast at Cromer.

'Hopefully it's highlighting all the amazing voluntary work that goes on across the county, and some of the people who've given an hour today may sign up to take part more regularly as a result,' said Julie, who returns to our screens on November 21 as a Monday weather presenter, after maternity leave.

She was among old friends at Sheringham where she played the role of Fairy Kindheart in the theatre's Beauty and the Beast panto six years ago.

'While I was here I realised that without volunteers, there wouldn't be a Little Theatre - it has a special place in my heart,' she added.

Among Julie and Finn's customers was Chris Jenning, who owns a holiday cottage in Sheringham, and popped in for a coffee after helping with the beach clean.

'We love it in Sheringham. It's a lovely place and I wanted to give something back to keep it looking lovely,' said Mr Jenning, 56, from Welsford Road, Norwich, who now plans to take part in more of the town's regular beach cleans.

North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb, who was also among the party of litter-pickers, said the impressive efforts of the regular beach-cleaning volunteers benefited both the town and its tourist economy.

And at Cromer, mayor Greg Hayman said there had been a 'terrific turnout' of 24 people, aged 10 upwards, who collected over 30 sacks of litter.

'It was absolutely wonderful that we had so many people give up time to come and help clean the beach and keep the town looking lovely,' he added.