CHICKS — Country Holidays for Inner City Kids — held its fourth annual country fayre and giant car boot sale at Roadford Lake on Sunday and combined it for the first time with the exciting oriental sport of Dragon Boat Racing.

The dragon boat racing was a great success despite the terrible weather and it is hoped that the total raised by the teams for the charity will be in the region of £4,500.

Nineteen teams entered with many local faces among them.

After a hard fought competition, Michael Davey and his team from Trethorne Golf Club, Launceston, won the Ginsters Dragon Boat Challenge Trophy and will go on to the area finals in Falmouth on October 7.

There was a large crowd of competitors and their families, and although they were all wet through, they seemed to keep cheerful as the unfolding competition was fiercely fought.

Unfortunately, the car boot sale and country fayre were a complete washout, with few stallholders turning up. However, those that did set up their stalls, stayed all day and bravely faced the elements.

TV personality Judi Spiers opened the fayre, then performed the 'Awakening Ceremony' so that the Dragon Boat Racing could start. The ceremony is held to 'awaken the good spirits' and to wish good luck to all who take part in the racing.

The entertainers booked for the country fayre were unable to entertain the crowds in the open air so Redwing and Ros Keltic both played under the Ginsters gazebo to keep people's spirits high.

Partypieces, the children's entertainer, kept the children amused for hours with her stories and face painting in the cafe.

Ginsters had its VW Camper present which has been travelling the country raising money for Chicks, their nominated charity for the 2000/2001 season.

Chicks staff painted many a child's face to raise money on behalf of a group of 20 brave supporters who are to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in October to raise money for the charity. Their aim is to pay for as many 'child places' as possible for needy children to come to Chicks this year for a free break.

Tracy Izod of Chicks, who again organised the event, said: 'This was without doubt the wettest country fayre yet. To still manage to raise £4,500 is, quite frankly, a miracle.

'Next year's dragon boat event will be even bigger than this one and I have already taken calls enquiring about the date'

Thanks were expressed to sponsors for the day, Ginsters of Callington, and to the South West Lakes Trust who supplied such an outstanding venue for the event.