HENSON'S Heroes picked up two awards as they followed the Yellow Brick Road all the way to the finishing line in the Monmouth Raft Race at the weekend.

The Chepstow crew, stalwart supporters of the annual event staged by Rotary Monmouth largely in aid of Newport-based St David's Hospice Care, manned a The Wizard of Oz-themed raft. The team lifted trophies for the best raft and, perhaps the most important, for raising most in sponsorship - £2,100.

The Ro-Ro entry from Monmouth-based Siltbuster was the fasted raft on the day, completing the course in one hour 13 minutes and 27 seconds.

Monmouth Raft Race is sponsored by Mandarin Stone, Harrison Clark Rickerbys Solicitors and Siltbuster.

Blistering sunshine and families, craning necks from every vantage point along the 6.5-mile route from Monmouth to Whitebrook, helped make the 55th Monmouth Raft Race one of the most successful ever.

Although there were fewer rafts than in previous years paddling all manner of homemade contraptions on the low water level River Wye, organisers were delighted with the support.

Norman Williams, of Rotary Monmouth, said: "We had 57 rafts entered for the event but due to various complications related to the covid pandemic, on the day just 38 rafts started. Nonetheless we were very pleased to be able to put the raft race on this year and with the fantastic turnout of supporters at the start, all along the course and at the finish in Whitebrook."

Kris Broome, of Newport-based St David's Hospice Care, which is the main beneficiary of funds raised by the event, thanked rafters, sponsors, stall holders, volunteers and Rotary Monmouth, for ensuring the ever popular event was the success it was this year.

Kris said: "We were thrilled that the Monmouth Rotary were able to put the raft race on this year as it is a major fund raiser for the hospice which has been hit so hard over the past 18 months due to the pandemic."

Click through a gallery of all the amazing pictures from the race above.

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