AROUND 200 rafters will take to the water this weekend in the 30th annual River Wye Charity Raft Race.
Starting at Hay-on-Wye at 9.30am participants will spend three days floating 75 miles to the finish line at Huntsham Bridge near Goodrich, supported by back up crews, on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
The event has grown in popularity since it began in 1978 as a bet between two pubs when just 11 rafts took part over four days.
Nowadays it raises thousands of pounds every year for the elderley and the disabled after the Committee for Herefordshire Amateur Rafters formed the Plynlimon Trust charity in 1984, which has generated around £3 million between the event itself and associated projects since it began.
Previous entrants have been known to enter from as far as Germany, the Netherlands and South Africa.
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