THE Great Middle Wallop Escape got this year's BBC Children in Need fundraiser off to an early start as Army Air Corps teams used their ingenuity to get as far away as possible from base - for free.

The Three Musketeers from 132 Aviation Squadron - Taff Llewellyn, Fiona Burgess and Chris Lingard - got as far as Aberdeen.

But other teams got as far as Florida and Barcelona.

It's thought the entire escapade has made more than £3,000. And today thousands of people across the country, including Andover, will be adding their zany antics to help.