Boxing Day raft race organisers ask crowds not to throw eggs or flour - BBC

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By Dan Martin

BBC News

The organisers of an annual Boxing Day raft race have repeated pleas to spectators not to throw eggs or flour.

Up to 25 decorated rafts are expected to take to the River Derwent for the post-Christmas charity fundraiser in Matlock Bath, Derbyshire.

In the past, racers in the 26 December spectacle have been pelted with eggs and bags filled with flour.

Bosses said they could not afford the cost of clearing plastic and paper bags from the river.

Head organiser Stephen Eyres said: "We are really looking forward to getting out there again - but we can't have people going nuts and chucking stuff about.

"If anyone gets hurt, that's the kind of thing that could get us shut down. That is the last thing anyone wants.

"One year we had a bloke turn up with a shopping trolley full of eggs to throw. We confiscated the lot and donated them to a food bank."

This year's event will be the 61st and will again raise money for Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

Mr Eyres added: "Last year was a great event, everyone enjoyed it and we didn't need to do a clean up afterwards.

"That's what we want this year because, if nothing else, we don't have the money to pay for the clean up."

His call was backed by Paul Reeves, from the Environment Agency, who said: "On any other day of the year, people wouldn't go throwing litter in the river and we're asking them not to do it on Boxing Day either.

"It may be intended as fun but it can really harm the environment."

Mr Reeves also said Environment Agency flood prevention works were currently under way on the stretch of the river used by the rafters.

He added: "It's a construction site so I'd like to remind participants not to leave their rafts."