PEOPLE living in north Suffolk's Fairtrade towns are being urged to go bananas for a world record attempt on Friday.The mayors of Beccles and Lowestoft yesterday joined Mark Bee, leader of Waveney District Council, to promote the attempt to set a world record for the number of people simultaneously eating a Fairtrade banana.

EAT a banana and help Fairtrade - that is the challenge for people in Beccles and the rest of Waveney this weekend.

The mayor of Beccles, David Smith, joined with Lowestoft's mayor Frank Mortimer at Lowestoft Town Hall on Monday to help launch the Go Bananas event - and the world banana-eating world record attempt

today.

Mark Bee, leader of Waveney District Council, and a Beccles Suffolk county councillor was also with them to promote the attempt to set a world record for the number of people simultaneously eating a Fairtrade banana.

It will take place nationally between noon today and noon tomorrow.

People are being asked to pledge to eat a Fairtrade banana during this time.

You can register online at www.fairtrade.org.uk/

gobananas

Mr Smith said: "To get involved takes very little effort.

"You simply have to pick up some Fairtrade Bananas, register online and eat them this coming Friday or Saturday.

"It is an awareness raising exercise, so that the next time you make a purchase, you choose Fairtrade. We are very lucky in Beccles. Being a Fairtrade town gives us a wealth of options to choose from."

Mr Bee added: "The Fairtrade Foundation has made it very simple to take part. You can get together with your friends, family or colleagues and make an event of it, or simply make a pledge to take part yourself.

"By showing support on Friday or Saturday and continuing to do so as part of your weekly shop, you'll be making a real difference."

Behind all the yellow-themed

fun there is a serious message.

The banana is the most popular fruit in the world - people spend over

�10bn a year on the fruit globally.

But while banana sales and demand soar, prices have plummeted, having a devastating effect on banana producers. The majority of banana plantation workers do not earn enough to live and support their families.

The Fairtrade Foundation aims to deliver sustainable livelihoods for farmers, workers and their communities.

For more information on Fairtrade Fortnight events in Waveney visit www. waveney.gov.uk and click on the banner on the homepage.

You can also sfind more information on Fairtrade and the cause behind

it at www.fairtrade. org.uk. Fairtrade leaflets are also available at all Waveney District Council offices during Fairtrade Fortnight.

For more information on Fairtrade in Beccles call 01502 712 800.