A SILVER griffin and spotted teapot were among some of the wackier entries that took to the water in an annual raft race.
Crews battled it out on the calm waters of Hythe Marina for the top spot in the Great Waterside Raft Race.
Hundreds of people gathered on the water’s edge to cheer them on.
Thirteen teams, including one from the Daily Echo, took to the water – although only 12 were there at the end.
A crew from Tesco at Dibden, aptly named First Fiasco, had to be rescued when their raft fell apart during the first of the six races.
The raft barrels also had to be retrieved before they became a danger to shipping as they floated down Southampton Water.
Crews included Fawley RFU, Hardley and Hythe Fire Stations and New Forest Young Conservatives who had named their Union Jack decorated craft HMS Maggie and were cheered on by New Forest East MP Julian Lewis.
But a team from Ebenezers pub in Hythe dominated, winning four races.
The Daily Echo team earned themselves a respectable third spot in the first race.
A tug from Fawley also entertained the crowds with a water display between races.
The event, in its 27th year, raises money for the RNLI.
Terry Ashmore, of the Hythe and Calshot RNLI branch, said the event would return.
“It’s been a really good day with a lot of people,” he said.
“This is the sort of tradition that’s been going for a long time and needs to keep going.”
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