CHARITY workers in Thornbury are real little treasures - and millions of daytime TV viewers are finding out why.

Teams from two local good causes Meningitis Research Foundation and the PDSA shop, have emerged as top fundraisers in ITV1's popular afternoon game show, Trading Treasures.

Teams from both charities were set car boot sale challenge to raise as much cash as possible selling "treasures" found in attics or collected by family and friends.

The Meningitis Research Foundation and PDSA teams came closest to reaching or beating their sales targets, and, as well as raising lots of cash, they also both came away with glass trophies to prove they're the tops.

The show featuring the PDSA was screened on Wednesday this week while the programme showing the foundation beating a Cancer and Leukaemia in Childhgood (CLIC) team from Weston Super Mare goes on air on Monday (2.30pm).

The foundation's Kirsten Appleton who took part in the programme - filmed at a Sunday car boot sale in Gloucester - along with former colleague Jody Blake, said: "We had a good laugh filming the show and came away with almost £300 for the charity.

"It was fun but it also had a serious side. As well as raising cash for the fight against meningitis and septicaemia we've also raised awareness of the diseases and our work."

Kirsten, who started her career as a reporter for the Gazette in Thornbury, and is now publications officer for the charity, added: "Filming a TV programme is harder work than you'd imagine - it took hours to film just a few moments of television. It wasn't at all glamorous!"

The PDSA shop in High Street, Thornbury, won its show by knocking out a team from the Glouucestershire-based Thomas Hannah charity for severely damaged children.

Shop manager Liz Walker said: "They filmed us in the shop as well as at the car boot sale. We really enjoyed ourselves. Our cash target was £190 and we actually raised £321 so we did really well."