Beans means smiles in Kettering Co-op's charity saucy bean dunk

A shop worker volunteered for a charity stunt by colleagues in her absence to bathe in a bath of baked beans has raised smiles and cash for Kettering' s hospice.

Dawn Diaz had returned to the London Road Co-op store after her holiday to discover that her name had been put forward for the Cransley Hospice fundraiser.

Luckily game for a laugh Dawn is no stranger to fundraising and was eager to take the plunge into a paddling pool filled with the saucy vegetables.

Speaking from her bean bath, Dawn said: "I came back to work and my colleagues had decided to do a bath of beans for charity - my boss had claimed he suffered from a phobia of baked beans - so I did it.

"It feels like a mud bath - I like the feeling it's quite soothing but quite cold. Next year I might do it in a bath of gin!"

Colleague Natalie Carvell has been supporting Dawn by selling selling tombola tickets and making sure the bath was topped up with beans.

The inflatable paddling pool was filled with 18 large catering sized tins and 30 small cans of beans

She said: "She's an absolute legend for doing it. She'll do anything for charity. When our boss Aiden Perkins said he had a phobia of beans we got the next best person and volunteered Dawn."

Bakery manager Dawn was due to have a sleeve tattoo after her two-hour stint in the bath and might include a baked bean within the design.

The 53-year-old added: "Thank you very much to the customers. They have been amazing donating prizes for the tombola and for donating money. Thanks to Jo York of JLY Photography for her help. We should raise around £500 and people can still donate in store."