As the rain came driving in early this morning, the members of the Tenby RNLI fundraising committee looked on in horror, but at 11 am, they breathed a collective sigh of relief! The 12th Annual Pancake Race was on! After the gales and floods, the fine, bright weather brought out the biggest crowd ever seen for the event.

Registration for the races was brisk, but in the capable hands of Jayne Hughes, Barbara Pegg, Chris Moore, Liz Green and Linzi Sellers, all went smoothly. The square had been decorated by the crew and each race was hotly contested. There were so many entrants for the 6 to 10 year olds that they had to be divided into three races and thanks go to Chairman’s son, Dan Evans for organising them so efficiently.

From the moment the Mayor of Tenby, Councillor Sam Skyrme-Blackhall sent them on their way, the runners were flipping their pancakes and flying along Tudor Square which was alive with cheering and laughter. For the first time in years there was even a ladies’ and a men’s race with a local policeman joining the boys.

The highlight of the morning is always the crew race, and this year was no exception, with a welcome female crew member to sort the cheating boys out. Well done to President Shan Thomas, Sylvie Morgan and Sarah Waring for hanging on to the finishing tape despite the advancing hordes!

Nothing went to waste as the seagulls had a fine time with the dropped pancakes! After the challenges of the past two years it was good to see local people join others from other parts of Wales, and England, to enjoy the half-term fun.

Thanks must go to coxswain Phil John and his crew for all their help, to the committee for their efforts, and to the Baytree for allowing the organisers to gather there and for fuelling them with coffee before the start.

Thanks too, to Jo Thomas for the advertising and social media. Videos of the races can be seen on the Pancake Race and Tenby RNLI Fundraising Facebook pages.

Special thanks go to the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Mace Bearers, and Town Crier for their support and for adding some welcome colour to the occasion.

Altogether, £533 was raised for the RNLI while having lots of fun. What better way to spend a February Tuesday morning?