Charlotte Church performed at the concert

The night surpassed last year's effort, when �523,754 was raised.

Charity mascot Pudsey Bear was joined by TV presenters Rhodri Williams, from Y Clwb Rygbi, and Jane Harvey, from X-Ray, for an evening of fundraising across the nation.

The live concert was hosted on stage by Owen Money and his specially-formed band The Bear Necessities.

The Cardiff event was one of six simultaneous concerts that happened across the UK.

It was the first time BBC Wales hosted an open-air concert and organisers welcomed more than 3,000 people for the Party With Pudsey.

"It's the most ambitious Children in Need in Wales to date," said BBC Wales's Children in Need producer Jonathan Davies, before the event.

"It's the biggest-ever live event to be held in the grounds of BBC Wales, so it'll certainly be a night to remember."

Live broadcasts

Visits to the concert were broadcast live on BBC One Wales and BBC Radio Wales throughout the evening.

There werel also be celebrity interviews, fund raising stories from around Wales and onscreen pledges.

Terry Wogan and Gaby Roslin hosted the event

Producer Jonathan Davies praised everyone who made the event possible.

"The enthusiasm for this year's Children in Need has been fantastic," he said.

"Everyone's giving up their time to help raise money and raise a huge musical buzz at the same time."

Job swaps

Also as part of the fundraising fun, BBC Wales controller Menna Richards worked in the BBC Wales shop, while other executives delivered post and served lunch.

Meanwhile, presenters from Radio Cymru abseiled down Marquess of Anglesey's column in Llanfairpwllgwyngyll on Anglesey at 1100GMT.

Geraint Lloyd and John Jones, from country duo John ac Alun, overcame any fears of vertigo to descend the 90ft column.

Nationwide events

Other events around the nation included a runathon in Newport's Belle Vue Park and a pyjama-sponsored walk and pub crawl in Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil.

In Aberystwyth, Bob the Builder look-alikes went on a sponsored walk, while students from Llandrillo College in Colwyn Bay took part in a 24 hour silence.