DOZENS of people kicked off the new year watching teams of emergency service members race across a river.

Crowds of supporters cheered on members from Hamble Lifeboat, Hampshire Fire and Rescue (HFR), South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) and Hampshire Search and Rescue (HSR) as battled it out on the River Hamble.

The teams were taking part in the 4th annual Emergency Services Raft Race and were competing for the Roger Harding Memorial Trophy.

Paul Ackland the event organiser and a coxswain on Hamble Lifeboat said: "This year we had exceptionally tough race due to the tide but each team done a superb job in maintaining course and coming back to shore safely.

"The crowd this year were a massive help to the teams and probably the biggest we have seen to date.

"There must of been over 300 spectators all cheering on their teams."

The event was created to raise awareness of the local emergency services.

Each team had to recover a racing marker on the other side of the river and return it to the lifeboat station with the first team across the line carrying the racing marker being the winners.

With the tide on its way out, it proved very challenging for three of the teams with HRF, SCAS and HFR crashing as they first set off.

The Hamble Lifeboat crew used their knowledge of the tides to the their advantage and managed to avoid the pile up to gain a good lead.

Once HRF, SCAS and HFR met the main channel the tide took control and started to take them out of the river towards Warsash.

The safety boats provided by Hamble Lifeboat, Hampshire Search and Rescue and Hamble Harbour Master managed to give a helping hand and put them back on track.

The lifeboat team had successfully recovered their racing marker and were on the home straight crowning them this year's winners.

Paul added: "With Hamble Lifeboat winning the trophy back off of Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service the banter was all in good taste and of course bragging rights now back to the lifeboat for the next 12 months.

"A special thanks to Jim Webb at Casse Tete Marine and Mikey Webb at Grapefruit graphics for doing a fantastic job on the rafts to make them presentable and of course sea worthy."