OVER one and a half million cans of Heinz Baked Beans are consumed in the UK each day, and on October 28, Roger Mince used 200 of them to fill a tin bath installed on the patio of The Royal Arms in Llangrove, and sat in it for eight hours.

Roger's Bean Bath Challenge and the pub's charity auction, led with great humour by auctioneer Richard Sparey, has so far raised over £4,500 for St Michael's Hospice.

Towards the end of his soak, Roger allowed supporters to tip tins of beans over his head in return for a generous donation. Also, to help celebrate the achievement, The Royal Arms' chef served up meals of sausage and mash to all involved.

Roger said, 'My wife, Julie, died at the Hospice four years ago and last year we raised over £500 from a sponsored chest wax. I don't think many people believed that I would spend so long in a cold bath, but spending eight hours of my life covered in tomato sauce is nothing compared to what the nursing staff do at St Michael's Hospice.

'I'd like to say a massive thank you to Peter and Claire Nottage, the landlord and landlady at The Royal Arms, and my best mate, Andy Davies, for all his hard work in organising the auction.'

Paddy Nugent, the hospice's community fundraising manager, said, 'It's a fantastic achievement and the bath challenge, brunch and evening auction received fantastic support from both Llangrove and the wider community. Everyone at St Michael's would like to send a heartfelt thank you to Roger and all his supporters.'