Fun day is tinged with sadness
It was a time for heroes and villains when the eighth annual Needham Market Raft Race saw a range of home-made crafts battling it out across the waters of Needham Lake.
This year 13 teams took to the waters in an assortment of crafts and had to make it to the other side of the lake just by paddling.
Sunday's event was tinged with some sadness as one of the stalwarts and founders of the race, Tracey Cadman, had lost her battle with cancer just days before.
A collection held in the car park on Sunday raised nearly 300 for a pump driver syringe to be used by district nurses.
Crowds lined the edge of the water to watch the event which was finally won by the team from the Royal British Legion, an organisation which Tracey had been heavily involved in. There was also strong competition between two teams from Wattsham Airfield and teams from Mid Suffolk District Council who, dressed as cereal packets as the Fudge Packers and Cadbury's, fought their way across the water.
Jean Pittaway, a committee member, said: "The weather held off and although we had some black clouds we had a great turn out and the only people who got wet were those in the race. It's a nice family community day and was well supported."
The event is sponsored by Mid Suffolk District Council, Hamilton Smith Letting Agents and Ipswich New Life Mobility.
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Weather for Bury St Edmunds
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
