A Stotfold dad plans to boogie on down at a funky festival while wearing a hand-made disco ball helmet to raise money for charity.

Not content with running the London Marathon this year in his groovy headgear, John McBurney is now hitting the festival scene with his collection bucket to drum up funds for The House of Barnabas – a charity which helps London’s homeless back into work.

Farr Festival, which takes place in Bygrave Woods between Ashwell and Baldock for three days from next Thursday, attracts DJs from around the world.

Standout acts for the sixth annual festival include veteran electro DJ Erol Alkan, Toddla T – who is the other half of Radio One’s Annie Mac – and sounds from House of Disco.

The organisers were so impressed with John while working with him to do an aerial promotional video for the festival that they agreed to choose the House of St Barnabas as their chosen charity

The 42-year-old said: “The hand-made disco ball helmet, which has more than 1,400 tiny mirrors, has been sat on my shelf collecting dust and I thought it was about time it came out of retirement!

“I got chatting to the festival organiser Oscar Thornton, and I joked about wearing the helmet to the festival.

“Suddenly we both realised that it was a fantastic opportunity to do some charity fund-raising.

“I intend to make a journey through the thousands of revellers at Farr Festival with my collection bucket and hopefully raise lots of money for a good cause.

“Typically, my fundraising activities are related to the running races that I enter – this will be a completely different challenge.

“The Farr Festival team is giving me their full support, so please keep a look out for the Human Disco Ball.”

If you would like to sponsor John email him at mcburney_john@hotmail.com.