ORGANISERS of the annual Minehead RNLI raft race insist next year’s event will go off with a bang - despite the absence of the traditional fireworks display.

The race has brought in more than £300,000 for RNLI funds over the past 35 years, but the lifeboat charity says it can no longer afford to put on the fireworks display which accompanies it on Minehead harbour.

When the race returns on August 9 next year, it will also follow a different route.

Traditionally, it has followed a three-mile route from Blue Anchor to Minehead harbour.

Last year, bad weather meant competitors could not set off from Blue Anchor, and organisers say next year the race will take place within the confines of Minehead bay.

Competitors will take a longer seaward course that will be set on the day, according to weather and tidal conditions.

Although the bay is where the ‘fun’ rafts have always raced, joint organiser Richard Gay has asked the more serious racers– who tend to travel from all over the country to take part – not to be put off.

He said: “There have been times in the past when we have struggled to find enough safety boats to accompany the race. Restricting the race to a smaller sector of the channel while making it just as enjoyable for competitors and spectators, seemed like an obvious thing to do.”

In the past few years, the event has seen a drop in street collections and the fireworks have become unaffordable.

Richard’s co-organiser Jim Whittaker said: “They have gone from being a money-earner, to effectively becoming a drain on the income we get from the race.

“We have ended up putting on a free show subsidised by sponsors with cash that would be better used going straight to RNLI funds.”

However, organisers promise that next year’s event should be an even bigger attraction, with two days of live music and other RNLI fund-raising activities all based around the harbour and the Old Ship Aground pub.

Landlord Julian Abraham said: “I’ve been closely associated with the Minehead crew ever since I took over the pub and when you see the amount of time and effort they devote not merely to training but to running the station and fund-raising you cannot fail to be impressed, particularly when you remember they are all volunteers.

“Unfortunately all charities have been experiencing a squeeze in recent years and most have now realised you have to do something more than hold out a collecting box and ask people to drop money into it.

“I’m delighted to be working with the crew for next year and hopefully the plans we are drawing up now will deliver an event which is bigger, better and more enjoyable – and will also reverse the decline in income.”