IN HER second challenge, Action Abi took to the London Underground with her guitar to raise £20 for the Little Buds fund at Darent Valley Hospital.

AFTER my disastrous attempt to race an Olympic cyclist round a dirty bike track, I thought I’d try something a bit more up my street.

So I grabbed my guitar and handmade sign in aid of Little Buds and made off for the London Underground.

The purpose of my challenge was to raise £20 for the charity by busking.

Twenty pounds may seem a little optimistic- after all, Badly Drawn Boy made a paltry £4.90 in a day’s work, and Paul McCartney’s rendition of Yesterday outside Leicester Square tube did little better.

But I wasn’t put off. Where’s there’s a will, there’s a way.

I hopped off at Bank station, strategically chosen because of how busy it gets during morning rush hour.

My first obstacle was finding somewhere to busk- I needed to be far enough out the way of the angry commuter’s path, but close enough to catch their eye.

As I set up camp, passengers began to pour out from between the tunnels and I dived in with my first E minor chord.

“Come on skinny love, just last the year… “My, my, my.”

Something was wrong- A Bon Iver classic was sure to attract more attention than this. I began to see the benefits of having a microphone.

I started again.

To my surprise, a lady who lingered long enough to read my sign tossed in a pound.

Next up in my repertoire was Alex Winston’s Choice Notes, but after repeating it twice and getting nowhere, I moved swiftly on.

I’d read somewhere that happy songs are meant to restore harmony to the angry commuter’s soul.

So for my third song, I picked a George Harrison classic.

But half way between “Here comes the sun” and “doo-doo-doo-doo”, I saw three bright orange jackets make their way through one of the tunnels towards me.

Making sure I didn’t leave my punters hanging, I finished the tune and turned to them.

A security guard stood before me with two cameramen in tow, who later explained they were making a documentary for the BBC.

To my delight, a scruffy drunk stumbling past who’d mistakenly took me for Blondie started shouting: “She’s famous, I saw her on TV last week.”

And, clocking my sign, he added: “You can’t tell her to move, she’s raising money for the babies.”

At which point, my photographer started joining in, shouting: “He’s right- she’s famous, they’re making a film about her.”

Despite my arguments that I didn’t know I needed a license to busk and that I wasn’t aware of any official “busking stages”, I was forced to retreat.

Throwing my guitar back over my shoulder, I made my way down towards the platform.

I’d made a measly £1.50.

Abigail’s set list

Skinny Love- Bon Iver: £1

Choice Notes- Alex Winston (as heard on the TK Maxx adverts): 0p

Here Comes the Sun- The Beatles: 50p

Songs she would have sung if she’d had the chance:

Piano Fire- Sparklehorse

Roll Away Your Stone- Mumford and Sons

Little Buds

LITTLE Buds is a fund that relies on charitable donations to provide vital equipment for the special care of babies inside and outside the womb.

Darent Valley Hospital’s fundraising manager, Tracey Cummins said: “We are so happy Abigail took on this challenge to raise money for Little Buds- every little helps.

“The equipment is used to enhance the care for these little lives and give them the best possible start.”

For more information, go dvh.nhs.uk