Dorset's for me says TV comic

8:00am Monday 13th August 2007

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HE is one of Britain's most popular television actors and has filmed all over the world, but for Martin Clunes, there's nowhere better than Dorset.

Martin, better known to television audiences as Doc Martin and Gary from Men Behaving Badly, was at the fun day in the grounds of Milton Abbey School to raise funds for Life Education Dorset.

He, his wife and daughter all broke out in broad smiles as Bournemouth Carnival Band, dressed in Spiderman costumes, performed a selection of numbers, and an impromptu set of ballet exercises beside a makeshift practice bar, before they rounded up children to join the marching band.

Mr Clunes held a storytelling session, reading aloud You'll Soon Grow Up, Alex, by Andrea Shavick and Russell Ayto.

The star was such a hit with the assembled visitors that he also had many adults in the audience joining in with the hand movements led by Life Education Dorset staff.

He was also mobbed for photographs and autographs.

Mr Clunes, who lives in the Beaminster area, was abroad earlier this year to film the drama The Man Who Lost His Head.

"I have a child growing up in Dorset. It gives me a personal reason to support it," he said of his backing of the event.

"At the beginning of the year, I was in New Zealand and I have just finished in Cornwall doing more Doc Martin.

"I'm not going to do anything now for the rest of the year, that's the plan.

"I love life in Dorset, the weather, the countryside, the people, this sort of marching band.

"I was born in London, we used to keep a place in London but we sold it last year to buy something. I couldn't go back."

The event also included a 3K fun run, over 30 stalls and a farmers market, ferret racing, a classic cars display, bouncy castle and climbing wall.

Diana Sale, chairman of the Life Education Dorset trustees, said Mr Clunes had done them a huge favour in agreeing to be involved.

She said they had no idea how much they would raise through the day, their inaugural fun day in Milton Abbas, but she wanted to thank everyone who had helped them and supported them, as their organisation sees 42,000 children a year but receives no government funding.