SMURFS, polar bears and Morris dancers were just some of the collection of colourful characters who went 'on the run' from Princetown Prison last weekend — all in the name of charity.

The 27th annual Dartmoor Jailbreak saw 13 teams of escapees leave Princetown on Saturday, attempting to get as far as possible from the prison without paying for transport, to raise money for Vranch House School in Exeter, which supports children and their families with cerebral palsy.

Teams included a group of policemen from Torbay who were planning to Morris dance around Europe, a couple of members of Bideford ATC who were planning to visit all the cadet bases in Devon and Somerset and a couple of bright blue Smurfs, Martin Pragnell and Michael Jackson who left the village by helicopter.

The teams were sent on their way by Exeter FM DJ Nino Firetto.

It is hoped the event will raise around £9,000 for Vranch House.