Festival launched in style

Thousands of people helped this year’s Stone Festival launch in style heralding a week of fun filled activities over the next six days.

The festival, which is now in its 39th year, began with the traditional antics on the River Trent with a two mile raft race.

Fifteen almost seaworthy vessels took to the river at theDarlaston Inn to the north of the town and attempted to sail themselves to Westbridge Park.

Only one of the rafts, a team called The Flying Doctors, suffered a watery end and failed to make it to the park.

Winners of the raft race were team Contraflow, who had travelled to Stone fromSandbach to take part, completing the course in a speedy 37 minutes.

The best local performance was put in by Eccleshall YoungFarmers who finished the course in 43 minutes.

The race is the traditional start of the festival which is organised by volunteers from a host of groups in the town with the aim of having fun and raising thousands of pounds for charity.