Matlock Bath Illuminations boat parade winner chosen after public vote

Derbyshire Dales district chairman Jean Monks officially opened the new season by switching on the lights on Saturday, September 8, and huge crowds showed the event has lost none of its shine.

More than 1,000 people voted for their favourite of the 10 boats in the river parade.

Long-standing compere Geoff Stevens said: “I seem to say it every year, but the boats are absolutely brilliant and really do get better and better. In my view the 2018 parade has to be the best ever and is a credit to the Matlock Bath Venetian Boat Builders’ Association.”

The award winning boat-builders were revealed before the second parade on Sunday.

Top spot and £400 went to Richard Wood and Angela Flavell of Chesterfield with their Herbie the VW Beetle design.

Paul Henshall and Harry Davidson of Matlock followed in second with Thomas the Tank Engine, then Ian Page of Cromford with his Dambusters design and David Gregory of Matlock with Frankenstein Returns.

The Illuminations will run every weekend until October 28. For details and tickets, go to https://goo.gl/MZvHbi.