A SOUTHAMPTON businessman who was thrown in jail for a charity event helped to raise more than £3,000 for terminally ill children in the city.

Martyn Oakley, director of customer services for NTL, was among six business executives who found themselves imprisoned inside Colchester Castle in aid of the Make-A-Wish Foundation UK.

The event was just one of the many events planned during the charity's national awareness and fundraising week.

After being arrested, cautioned, fingerprinted and handcuffed, Mr Oakley was charged and sentenced to raise at least £500 for the charity in order to be released.

Mr Oakley, from Ashurst in the New Forest, and his co-prisoners collected more than £3,000 during the morning before being released to grant wishes to children living with life-threatening illnesses.

Paula Slater, regional representative for Make-A-Wish, said: "The whole event was a very colourful bit of fun.

"Our thanks go to Colchester Castle, Essex Police, the Military Police and our six good-hearted felons for their participation. I'm sure it's not an experience our business colleagues will forget in a hurry and will certainly be one to dine out on."

Make-A-Wish Foundation is the largest wish-granting organisation in the world. Founded in America it is now established in more than 25 countries.

The charity has one objective - to turn the wishes of children aged between three and 18 living with life-threatening illnesses into reality. The UK Foundation has granted more than 2,450 wishes since it began in 1986 and is currently granting wishes at the rate of one a day.