Boat race won by chocolate tart

Dozens of competitors sent their edible craft out to sea at Eyemouth

An edible boat race which is believed to be the first of its kind in the UK has been won by a chocolate tart.

About 30 contenders sent their vessels out to sea in the event at Eyemouth in the Scottish Borders.

The race was not without controversy as a number of entrants - including melon skin boats - had to be ruled out for not being entirely edible.

Head judge Steven Walter said he had been highly impressed by the entrants for the race.

A prize for the best design went to a "pepper outrigger".

The most seaworthy was judged to be a coracle of slow-baked lasagne sheets.

In the battle to be crowned the overall best boat, the healthy option of an apple raft, with cabbage leaf sail, narrowly lost out to the chocolate tart filled with sweets.

Mr Walter said: "I don't think anybody expected the number of exhibits that turned up.

"And I don't think anybody expected the originality of many of the designs, indeed all of the designs."

The Eyemouth Herring Queen committee - which organises an annual festival in the town - wanted an event to commemorate the seafaring traditions of the area.

Boats made of all sorts of ingredients took part in the race

It had originally considered a paper boat race.

However, marine reserve ranger Liza Cole came up with the idea of the edible boat race as a more environmentally-friendly event.

"Because we have a marine reserve off the coast we very much celebrate the fact that we have a high quality marine environment," she said.

"So we want to make sure that we don't put anything into it that is going to wash up on our beaches and haunt us for the next few days."

The overall winner, schoolboy Toby Smith, was delighted with his victory.

"My mum gave me a bit of help with it because I couldn't really do the cooking," he admitted.

"But I thought I wasn't going to win - because it tipped over half way through."

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