MONMOUTH Raft Race is set for a record breaking year on the fiftieth staging of the popular event.

Monmouth Raft Race co-ordinator, Norman Williams said: "The Monmouth Rotary Club is proud to have been running the raft race for the past 12 years and is very pleased to have nurtured it to the successful event that it is today. The 50th anniversary is a very special milestone for the club.

"For the 50th year of the event we are striving to find additional sponsorship and raise £50,000, and on the day we will plan to invite the lady who organised the first raft race to join us.

"For some entering the Monmouth raft race is the culmination of developing and building their raft topped by a fun afternoon on the River Wye with friends.

"For others it's a way of raising money for St David's Hospice Care in gratitude for the immense help they and their loved ones have received."

The Monmouth Raft race was started by the Young Farmers Club and continued for many years afterwards by Monmouthshire's Conservative Association. Then as a cancellation of the event was necessary in the year of the Foot and Mouth outbreak, the Rotary Club stepped in to save it.

"Key to the event throughout are The Cullimores, the Tump Farm family in Whitebrook, who willingly lend their land, equipment and labour to make the fun event at the race finish possible."

The raft race will take place on Sunday 6th September.

Norman Williams said: "Last year we reached our 100 raft target. Now for 2015, the fiftieth staging of the Monmouth Raft Race, we hope to increase that number again and have also set ourselves the goal of raising in excess of £50,000 for charity."

For details about the race, including online or postal entries, and how to sponsor the event in its fiftieth year please visit http://www.monmouthraftrace.com">www.monmouthraftrace.com or call raft race secretary, David Forbes on 01600 712665.