Hundreds of rowers made a splash in Monkton Park on Saturday when they took part in the second annual Dragon Boat Festival.

Sixteen teams decked out in matching T-shirts or fancy dress took to the river in colourful boats for three rounds of races, while crowds of spectators lined the river bank to watch the rowers battle it out.

Organiser Lyn Crabtree, of the Rotary Club of Wiltshire Vale, said: “It was an absolutely fantastic day and the early indication is that we will exceed the £10,000 raised at last year’s race.

“We have had hugely enthusiastic feedback and a number of inquiries from people wanting to put teams together for next year.

”We wanted the event to grow year on year, and it seems it is going that way – hopefully this will help put Chippenham on the map.”

The competition was fierce, with RAF Lyneham’s 30 Squadron being crowned winners in a photo finish against the 9 Regiment Royal Logistics Corps from Hullavington.

Other prizes were awarded to teams with the best fancy dress, the most money raised and the best youth team.

Mrs Crabtree said: “The team from Fairfield Farm College in particular had the most fabulous day and we chose them as the best youth team.

“They went home as high as kites and they were all cheering.

“Abbeyfield School’s captain Jonny Martin is also someone the whole town can be proud of because he is an absolute star.”

This year the event even attracted the attention of Channel Five’s The Gadget Show.

A television crew spent the morning filming part of the programme in which cutting edge crafts including a solar-powered raft were tested on the river.

It is expected that the show will air on Monday, August 30.

Further in the park children enjoyed pony rides, bouncy castles and wandered around craft stalls as part of the third annual Art in the Park event.

The sports hall at the Olympiad Leisure Centre was transformed into an art gallery as local painters and school children exhibited their work.

“We had one 12-year-old girl who had painted a Punch and Judy show, which her mum took off the wall and asked if we could display,” Rotarian Jane Kirby said.

“It was not for sale, but we had two people asking if they could buy it because they liked it so much. It is stories like that that make the event so special.”

Mrs Kirby added: “It was an excellent event and we have had so many lovely responses from people who came along.

“It is a lot of hard work to organise but it all paid off and we are hopefully going to start planning next year’s festival as soon as we can.”

The winners -

1. RAF Lyneham 30 Squadron

2. 9 Regiment Royal Logistics Corps, Buckley Barracks

3. Avagio and Wiltshire Blind Association

Most money raised: Blazing Paddles, £1,500 for Macmillan Nurses

Best fancy dress: Abbeyfield Aardvarks

Best youth team: Fairfield Farm College