A regional daily editor spent the day behind bars in a bid to raise funds for a local charity.

Richard Bowyer, editor of The Sentinel in Stoke, was “arrested” at the paper’s offices at 9.30am on Monday and taken into custody at a police training facility in Shelton.

The stunt was to raise funds for the Realise Foundation and Richard had to collect £250 in “bail money” before he could be released.

He and seven others took part in the event in a bid to raise £5,000 in total for the charity to fund five apprenticeships for young people.

Richard Bowyer is "arrested" at The Sentinel's offices.

Richard appealed for help in being released to his Twitter followers, writing: “Please get me out of jail and raise some cash to create five new apprenticeships! Tough doing porridge…”

“Still locked up at the Realise Foundation jail, need bail cash to provide new apprenticeships for N Staffs!”

The jail stunt was held as part of Realise Week, a week-long fundraising drive by the charity, which launched in 2010 to try to unlock the potential of people and communities across north Staffordshire.

Other events planned for the week include a car wash challenge, raffles, a tombola, a sponsored silence and a dress down day at work.

Richard can be sponsored here and a video of him being arrested can be viewed on The Sentinel’s website.