RESIDENTS will be covered in mud as they pull their hardest to be tug-of-war champions as part of a weekend of water-based activities.

The Manningtree Regatta is returning with a splash to the town for visitors to enjoy a mixture of land and river-based activities on Saturday, and Sunday, August 12 and 13.

The weekend starts with sailing races which will take place from close to the regatta’s Quay Street base from noon on Saturday.

Throughout the rest of the day visitors will be able to enjoy a mobile petting zoo between 10.30am and 12.30pm, children can take part in a drawing competition between 11.30am and 1.30pm, and there will be a regatta party for members and guests from 7.30pm.

A firework display will then light up the skies from 9.30pm before the mud events on Sunday.

Sunday will be kicking off with a mud race, tug of war competition, and children’s tug-of-war competition from 10am onwards. Sailing races start from 1pm with dinghies, classic boats and cruisers setting sail throughout the day before prizes are awarded at 5pm.

Stephen Hopkins, of the Stour Sailing Club Regatta sub-committee which organises the event, said there should be more than 600 people involved.