THE colour and spirit of Rio de Janeiro came to Southampton when staff from P&O Cruises dressed up for charity.

The customer services team who work at P&O's offices in Duke's Keep, Southampton, raised £1,550 for the charity Wessex Cancer Care.

The carnival celebration marked a week of fundraising activities, including dress-down days and the raffle of a cruise on the superliner Aurora.

David Dingle, managing director of Carnival UK, which owns P&O, said: "I am extremely pleased with the results of Carnival UK's week of fundraising, co-ordinated by our customer services team. I am delighted that the funds raised are going to such a worthwhile charity as the Wessex Cancer Trust, which does such important work in the local community."