THE Hay Festival has built its reputation as a place to expand the mind through books and discussion but a video from last night’s after show party reveal it has its own wilder side.

No less than the former president of the Maldives is among those enjoying a chair race around the festival site as the curtain was brought down on almost two weeks of thought and debate.

Mohamed Nasheed was the president of the island nation from 2008 to 2012 and certainly appeared to be enjoying himself after speaking about the Arab Spring in the border town.