Messing about on the river (From Warrington Guardian)

Messing about on the river

ALICE and the Mad Hatter were joined for tea in the Golden Square on Friday when the Duke of Bridgewater dropped by to promote a local boating event.

Waterways enthusiasts Keith and Penny Vigurs joined the Mad Hatter's Tea Party to promote the National Festival of the Inland Waterways Association, to be held at Preston Brook on the Bridgewater Canal on August Bank Holiday Weekend.

Much of the entertainment at the festival will have an Alice theme, including another Mad Hatter's Tea Party in the arena, a procession of illuminated boats and a 14-foot Alice street puppet.

Penny and Keith are pictured, right, wearing the traditional clothes of working narrow boat people. The crews of the restored workboats expected at the festival will wear similar costumes.