BOXING Day packed a mighty punch over in Windlesham as the popular Pram Race roared back into the village.

Pardon the double negative, but you can’t not have heard of the Windlesham Pram Race, the annual charity fundraiser that sees people from all over (not just local residents) dressed as anything and everything, careening their home-cobbled ‘prams’ along a three-and-a-half-mile course.

The less than stringent requirements of the prams were that they should be based on a chassis the size of a buggy’s, and should be pedestrian-propelled.

The Pram Race, which has run for more than 15 years, took place on December 26 and, as usual, was more than just a ‘race’. It was in fact a pub-crawl contest (or perhaps more accurately, a racing pub-crawl) whose numerous pitstops were the village’s many pubs.

Proceedings kicked off at 9.30am at Highams Hall/Kamkorp Park, Chertsey Road, with scrutineering and a photo call. The racers then began departing in groups of 20 teams from 10.30am, their ultimate goal being The Windlesham Club & Theatre in Kennel Lane.

The wacky racers ‘refuelled’ along the way at The Brickmakers Arms, The Surrey Cricketers, The Sun, The Half Moon and The Bee.

It would be a lie to suggest there wasn’t enough ‘fuel’ to keep those rickety prams running, as there really was – more than enough!

The races ended at around 1.30pm (three-and-a-half miles in three hours won’t break any records) when prizes were dished out to winners by the organisers.

The entries were judged by Surrey Heath Mayor Rob Paton, and were awarded in three categories, including the John Sanderson Trophy for fastest finish and the Andy D’Agata Trophy for Best Engineered Pram, and the Best Dressed racers.

The 2015 event will again be open to anyone over the age of 10 who is capable of completing it, but every team has to have at least one adult present.