An Islington supermarket was unusually quiet recently as one of its louder employees took part in a sponsored silence.

Amanda Dyer, 33, from the Barnsbury Estate, is often seen laughing and joking with customers at the Sainsbury’s store in Liverpool Road, but managed to keep quiet for an entire four-hour shift to raise over �200 for local charity the Stuart Low Trust.

Customers were amazed to find the motor-mouthed checkout assistant lost for words. She said: “No-one thought I could do it. Everyone was trying to make me crack but it only made me more determined.”

In order not to appear rude, Ms Dyer used a series of signs to communicate phrases such as “Good morning” and “Do you have a Nectar card?” to her customers. Her antics persuaded shoppers to donate around �68 in a bucket during her shift, on top of the money raised in sponsorship.

The Stuart Low Trust, a local health promotion charity, is Islington Sainsbury’s charity of the year and staff will take part in fundraisers throughout 2012 and 2013 including a non-uniform weekend this month.