All the fun of the donkey races
More than 500 people from across Shropshire turned out at a champagne lunch in the county as the sun blazed down on the start of the Easter weekend.
The Ludlow Charity Race Day held at Ludlow Racecourse yesterday aimed to raise about £30,000 for the Prince's Trust.
Guests were treated to a champagne reception followed by a five-course lunch, which included terrine of salmon, lamb rump and a white chocolate pudding.
The event also featured an auction with prizes including dinner for two at Ludlow's Dinham Hall, two cases of champagne, a day's shooting at Longnor Hall and a private consultation with a fashion expert.
Guest Sam Gaussen travelled from Gloucestershire to attend.
He said: "This is a wonderful event and is a great excuse for me to come to Ludlow. I come most years and thoroughly enjoy meeting everyone and having a lovely lunch."
Another group of guests, who travelled from Shrewsbury, said: "We are all having a lovely time. The sun is shining and the company is fantastic." The charity day is held every year at Ludlow Racecourse and each year raises money for a different charity.
This year was the turn of the Shropshire branch of the Prince's Trust. Board member Steve Bloor said: "We are hoping to raise somewhere in the sum of £30,000 from today. It's wonderful to see so many people here enjoying themselves."
Mr Bloor was the organiser behind the donkey derby, in which businesses pledged money for a runner in the race.
The runners and riders for the donkey derby included Mad Jack, ridden by Dorothy Holt on behalf of The Mytton and Mermaid. Jake Greenall rode Stodbury on behalf of Michael Stoddart and Peter Daresbury, Josh Wall rode Go For it on behalf of staff at Shropshire County Council and Robert Jarrett rode Patchwork on behalf of Accent 21.
Kirsty Imm rode The Hopton Wafers Wizard on behalf of The Crown at Hopton Wafers, Davina Daly rode Daly's Commet on behalf of Henry Daly's owners and Emily Chavesse rode Uplands and Over on behalf of The Uplands Nursing Home.
The final runners and riders were Chole Reid riding Liquid Asset for Shropshire Chamber of Commerce, Lara Horne riding Hatfields Hairaisor for Hatfields Jaguar, Archie Bellamy riding Woggie for The Halfway House and Lucia Holden riding Greenhous Turbo for Greenhous Telford.