Gearing up for Knaresborough bed race 2016

The charity event, which was first staged in 1966, will see teams judged for their fancy dress before stripping down to their running kit and tackling the 2.4-mile course.

Competitors in the Knaresborough Lions Club-organised event will gather with their beds around 9am in the grounds of Knaresborough Castle.

By midday, judging for the Best Dressed Bed award will have been finished.

Headed by the winner of this category, the 90 teams will start the parade from the Castle, to the Market Place, down High Street and Bond End and into Conyngham Hall fields.

Here, the beds are stripped to racing trim and the teams of six runners and passenger discard their fancy dress for the main event.

Teams set off at 10-second intervals from Conyngham Hall to charge around the course, which takes them through the Conyngham parkland, onto Waterside and through the Nidd Gorge.

Next is the steep ascent up Castle Ings, around the Market Place, down High Street, Bond End and across High Bridge.

They proceed at pace through McIntosh Fields before the final act: the 35 yard swim through the icy River Nidd, runners, passengers, beds and all.

The fastest complete the course in under 14-minutes, the slowest in little more than twice that time.

Last year’s fastest team, Planet Steel, edged out second-placed Harrogate Harriers by 0.3 of a second. Everyone has someone to beat, even if it is they themselves by besting their previous year’s time.

“It is a real community effort to organise and participate in the great Knaresborough Bed Race,” said organising committee chairman Carole Reid.

“It typifies the wonderful spirit in the town and is a massive event for Knaresborough’s town centre businesses.

“But the event is also marked by warm and welcoming spectators, who help make this a strong family day for everyone concerned.”

It is hoped the bed race will raise £100,000 for Lions' charities, 80 per cent of which is donated to local good causes.