Mayor leads town's celebration of the iconic Mini

Some of the 25 Minis that lined the market place in the Fenland town

A mayor has said goodbye to his beloved Mini following a raffle to raise funds for local charities.

The Mayor's Minis in March Market Place was held over the weekend in the Cambridgeshire town and attracted hundreds of visitors.

The iconic car is celebrating its 65th anniversary, and mayor Gary Christy wanted to use it as an opportunity to boost visitors to March.

As part of the weekend, Mr Christy raffled his own Mini Cooper, raising more than £2,300 for three local good causes.

He said it was wonderful to see all the cars lined up.

"I have a passion for the Mini. My parents had one when I was growing up and I can remember going on holiday in it. I loved it," he said.

"I became mayor in May this year and approached the Cambs Mini Club to see if they'd like to display some of their Minis, and they agreed.

"It was also in my mind to try to get some extra footfall into our town, which is undergoing a big regeneration currently."

The Cambs Mini Club provided many of the cars, with one from 1960

Businesses in the town got involved, too, with the Exchange restaurant selling a range of Mini-themed food during the weekend.

"The refurbished market place is a fantastic asset for the town and we want to do more to make the most of it, bring people into the town centre and support local businesses," Mr Christy said.

"We hope the Mini event will be the first of many events in the market place."

Mayor Gary Christy said he was sad to say goodbye to his Mini Cooper following the raffle

Raffle tickets for Mr Christy's Mini Cooper Clubman S cost £10.

"The winner was overjoyed and told me he had never won anything in his life. He was thrilled," the mayor said.