West Suffolk College principal Nikos Savvas was arrested and locked up in a police cell — to raise money for a local hospice.

Police handcuffed Mr Savvas in his office before leading him to a police van outside.

He was driven to Bury St Edmunds Police Investigation Centre, where officers took his fingerprints and a mugshot before locking him in a cell for around an hour.

Mr Savvas was released after handing over around £700 to St Nicholas Hospice Care, in Bury St Edmunds.

The money had been raised through his JustGiving internet fundraising page and a bucket collection around the college.

He said: “Being arrested, even in fun, was a sobering experience. The high security police investigation centre is a very harsh environment and the microwaved all-day breakfast I was given was a punishment in itself.”

Mr Savvas was one of a dozen people arrested as part of a fundraising event, called Jail and Bail, for the hospice.

Caption: Nikkos Savvas being handcuffed in his office