ANOTHER £1,100 has found its way into local lifeboat funds as a result of last year’s RNLI raft race.

The money was raised through sponsorship by staff at Acare Leisure, the caravan and camper specialists based on Minehead’s Mart Road industrial estate, and was handed over to race organisers by boss Tony Payne.

Acare has been one of the staunchest supporters of the race, organised for more than 30 years by former lifeboat helmsman Derek Williams.

“They’ve been among the first to enter every year and have an outstanding record of raising money for us,” he said.

Last year’s race from Blue Anchor to Minehead had to be cancelled at the last minute because of adverse weather and this year will be run over a new course, starting from the beach at Warren Road and finishing, as usual, in the harbour.

The race will form the highlight of a two-day festival of live music and entertainment on August 8-9, 2015, all based on the harbour and staged in partnership with the Old Ship Aground and local kayak manufacturers Fat Yak.

Fundraising by Minehead RNLI last year topped £33,000 – well over a third of the station’s annual running costs.