GAZETTE assistant editor Jeff Bolitho took the ice bucket challenge – only barely managing to avoid being swept away in a torrent of cold water.

After being nominated a while ago, colleagues has begun to think Jeff had been avoiding the daunting commitment, proving them all wrong when he finally stepped up to the plate at the paper’s office, in Dursley.

Unfortunately for Jeff, lessons had been learned from the Gazette’s last experience of the challenge when photographer Stephen Richards was drenched.

This time round the aiming was more precise, and Jeff took the brunt of a bin full of water right on the top of the head.

Jeff nominated Gazette reporters Josh Wright, Rob Iles and Stuart Rust for the challenge – which perhaps explains the motivations behind Rob’s remarkable aim.

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.