GAZETTE photographer Stephen Richards is the latest to take part in the ice bucket challenge social media craze - and got more than he bargained for.

The paper’s snapper for the last 36 years decided to undergo the challenge of being soaked in iced water at the Gazette office in Dursley.

It turned out there was no shortage of willing colleagues ready to soak him, with three buckets of chucked on him – of varying sizes.

Dressed in his office attire, minus his shoes and socks, passing onlookers may have thought it was an impromptu baptism.

Stephen chose the Gloucestershire Gazette’s assistant editor Jeff Bolitho, Dursley reporter Daniel Chipperfield and friend Liza-Jane Gillespie to undergo the feat next.

The ice bucket challenge is designed to raise money and awareness for the neurodegenerative illness ALS - better known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

When people are given the challenge, they have 24 hours to dump freezing water over their heads - and must record it.

They can then nominate several people to do the feat themselves.

So far, the likes of Justin Timberlake Lady Gaga and Mark Zuckerberg have all taken on the ice bucket challenge.

Now former President George Bush has got involved, as has Tom Cruise, Cheryl Cole, David Beckham, José Mourinho, Gwyneth Paltrow and Simon Cowell.

You can donate £3 to Macmillan by sending ICE to 70550.