Poole’s iconic New Year’s Day Bath Tub Race

The popular event sees racers brave the water in fancy dress as they race along Poole Quay in homemade vessels.

Organised by Poole Harbour Commissioners and BCP Tourism, the wacky event attracts thousands of onlookers to raise money for charity.

This year the race kicked off at 10.30am on January 1 in aid of the RNLI, as teams hurtled from Poole Bridge to the finish line at Fish Shambles.

Kate Robinson said she almost braved entering the race herself until she learned of the egg throwing.

But that has not deterred ten-year-old Sophie who said she will be entering the race when she’s older, dressed as a gymnast and will be backflipping at the finish line.

Bob Salter said the group particularly liked the Oompa Loompa team, ‘even if they were a bit scary when they got wet in the water’.

Matt Robinson added that he liked how the event has something for everyone.

Along with the race, which has taken place for almost 50 years, spectators enjoy the classic car show which covers the length of the quay.

Children this year also had the chance to sit in a real police car and fire engine as they blared the sirens.

Danny Kemp said it was his first time seeing the race since he was a child, and brought along his family Christine, Katie, Olivia and Sophia.

Katie said the children loved the race and that it was nice how much effort racers had put into their vessels.

Christine added that the family loved the shark boat and that the whole event was ‘really brilliant’, despite five-year-old Olivia having a near miss with an egg.

However, Liz Cooper did not get so lucky as she said she was ‘splattered’ by an egg.

Along with partner Darren, the pair have attended the event for the past three years and travel from Shaftesbury to get a glimpse of the race.

The Bath Tub Race also attracted Jackie Hiley all the way from Derby who said she had never seen anything like it before.