Knaresborough Bed Race: Can you spot yourself in our photo slideshow?

An estimated 30,000 turned out to enjoy the event which celebrated its 50th anniversary this year.

Nigel Perry, the publicity officer for organisers Knaresborough Lions, said the event felt very ‘special’ in its anniversary year.

He said: “The event was trouble free and we had crowds as big as we have ever had, and of course the sun was shining, everyone in Knaresborough knows it never rains on the bed race, and yet again the gods were smiling on us.

“It is such a huge, important event for Knaresborough and it is so wll known people travel from far away to see it.”

A new team for 2015, the Swiss Rolls, flew in Pierre Perdaems from Geneva to take part alongside his daughter Anais Perdaems from London.

He said: “It is very original, very crazy, very witty, over all it is very English.”

It was the 55-year-olds first visit to Knaresborough and he said: “This is such a great town, with a beautiful view from the castle.”

Harrogate and Knaresborough’s MP Andrew Jones said the event was one of his favourite of the year.

“It brings out all teh creativity and wit of Knaresborough. The floats are all fantastic, I am always so impressed by the amount of effort people put in, it is great to see.”

The parade theme this was 50 years of pop culture, which threw up a few Dr Who’s, Hippies, Batman and even a Pacman float.

Women’s team Over the Rainbows chose a punk rock theme for their ninth attempt at the bed race.

Alison Turner said: “It as gone down very well, lots of little grey haired old ladies and telling us they did punk first time round.

“It is a huge thing in Knaresborough, everyone works so hard on the floats, you spend hours building it in the garage, knowing that people are doing the same in dozens of garages across town.”

She added: “We do it for the fun and the atmosphere, we aren’t serious about winning but we all train hard for it.”

The Best Dressed Bed prize was won by the St Johns Juggernauts, with last years winners the 1st Scriven Scouts came in second with their Batmobile.

The junior team also won the fastest mixed junior team in the race itself.

The race sees 90 teams of six runners and a passenger take on the 2.4 mile rugged course around the town which culminates in a 20 yard swim across the chilly waters of the Nidd.

Planet Steel, a team sponsored by a steel contracting business in Knaresborough, finished the course in 13 mins and 14 seconds with Harrogate Harriers just 0.3 seconds behind.

All the teams taking part managed to get home inside half an hour.

Winners

FASTEST TEAM Planet Steel

FASTEST FEMALE TEAM Ripon Runners Girls

FASTEST NON CLUB MALE TEAM Guardian Alarms

FASTEST NON CLUB FEMALE TEAM Welly Wheelettes

FASTEST NEW TEAM Striders Ladies Blue Bullet Flyers

FASTEST MIXED TEAM Flying Pullman

FASTEST MIXED JUNIOR TEAM 1st Scriven Scouts, Sponsored by CNG

FASTEST MALE JUNIOR TEAM Harrogate Rugby Racers

BEST DRESSED BED St Johns Juggernauts

MOST ENTERTAINING TEAM Knaresborough Silver Band

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO BED RACE Don Horner (Sandra Bradley Trophy)