Carnival Pram Race's crazy fun raises charity cash

Tuesday evening's charity race was a test of stamina - and of drinking capacity.

The rules were simple. No motorised devices.

But after leaving the starting grid at Bexhill West, pushers and passengers had to visit ELEVEN other town centre pubs at least one team member downing a drink in each while the rest of the team collected for Carnival and for the charity of the team's choice.

The venture was the first of a series of innovations planned by Bexhill Carnival Committee.

For organiser Steve Bossom and the committee it proved to be such a fund-raiser and such FUN for the participants that it is a certainty for Carnival Week 2009.

Crazy Ladies, that was the name of the Bell Hotel's team. The cutlass-wielding pirates were flying the Jolly Roger on their fearsome craft.

Even before the start the buccaneers had raised 500 in sponsorship for Glyne Gap School.

Natalie Corke, Kerry Preece, Abi Preece, Ashlyn Cahill and Penny Denwood were taking no prisoners as they prepared to set sail.

A more modest approach was adopted by The Sportsman's threesome. Providing the motive force for their wheelchair were Kim Lewis and Tracy Davis. But nappy-wearing "baby" Sheila Funnell set the tone.

The slogan on her bib read: "Mums' and Dads' sex and drugs and rock-n-roll."

They started the evening with 300 in the charity kitty..

What appeared to be a trike on steroids was the foundation of the Marshview Builders' mode of transport.

Less metal went into the building of the Titanic than into this over-engineered chassis. Above this was a timber-framed, cardboard-bodied creation.

Crew members Tim Jarred, Dominic Hanlon. Rob Thompson and Adam Lee claimed it was a "green machine" which had been re-cycled.

The white-coated "doctors" sported a stethoscope and had already collected 50 for Cystic Fibrosis before the start.

Then The York's four rowed into view '“ vengeance in mind.

They were still smarting because their entry in the Rowing Club's Fun Regatta had been disqualified on some minor technicality.

Their "Mark II" was a push-chair sporting a rowing boat bow, crafted in choicest cardboard.

Atop a broken snooker cue mast a "Baby overboard" cardboard flag bore the name of their disqualifier.

He should have been on duty on Tuesday. The foursome were about to commit another act of gamesmanship.

Fetching pink York t-shirts named the guilty line-up.

Wee Wee- Andrew Clelland, Ferrari '“ Andrew Cheese, Marshmallow '“ Darren Loughton and Sonic '“ Graham Tombs.

The York team had 65 for the NSPCC riding on their entry.

Struggling to make her voice heard above the hubbub of starting grid excitement, Lesley White of the White Brewing Company presented a box of Bexhill-brewed beer to the Bell Hotel Pirates as Best Dressed entry.

The Pirates brandished their cutlasses and flintlock pistols in exultation.

First away at the start were the Bell Pirates and the Marshview Doctors, both setting a devastating pace down Beeching Road en route for their first pit-stop at the York.

The Sportsman adopted a more lady-like pace.

But the dastardly York were to play their trump card - "hi-jacking" the driver of a Suzuki 4x4 at the petrol pumps, cramming the Mark II rowing boat into the rear, piling aboard and cheating their way to their home pub.

Not until the Carnival Committee's awards night in September will it be known which team will win the award for the most cash extracted from the public during this crazy evening.

But the trophy for First Home at Polegrove went to the Marshview Builders.

In true "one of our aircraft is missing" form, the Bell team had lost some members in one of the pubs.

But which pub...?

Who cared. It had been a brilliant debut for the Carnival Pram Race.

POSTSCRIPT: The Sportsman's trio staggered into Polegrove at 10.22pm - more than two hours after the winners but with a heavy collection bucket.