Success at Loughborough

LAST week-end's Canal Boat Festival at Loughborough was a success, helped by the glorious weather.

The festival started as a protest against the local council that wanted to fill in the basin for building a relief road, but was persuaded not to back in 1997, Alan Tilbury tells us.

Sweet 16

The festival has carried on each year ever since, with just once being cancelled through the foot and mouth epidemic, and this being the 16th festival it was named 'Sweet 16'.

Many boats lined the waterway through the town, as well as vintage vehicles, demonstrations, exhibitions and entertainment.

The actual building of the relief road, was somewhat delayed, only being started this month.