A date has been set for the return of one of East Anglia's most colourful fundraising events.

The East Anglian Dragon Boat Festival will be back in Oulton Broad on Saturday, August 11, with teams taking to the water for the 12th year.

Warner Leisure Hotels has been announced as the new title sponsor for this year and included in its portfolio are Gunton Hall and Corton Coastal Villages, both in Lowestoft, who have been keen supporters of the festival for many years.

The 2018 festival will be the fourth year running that Gunton Hall has entered a team and the third year for Corton Coastal Village.

The Dragon Boat Festival attracts around 30 teams annually from across East Anglia and, new this year, the festival will be an open charity event with entrants invited to raise money for the charity of their choosing. Teams opting for the gold and silver entry packages, which include a charity donation as well as marketing benefits, can also nominate their favourite charity to benefit from their donation.

The teams from Gunton Hall and Corton Coastal Villages will be focussing on raising as much money as they can for Warner Leisure Hotels partner charity - Macmillan Cancer Support.

Ian Gyte, Warner Leisure Hotels operations director, said: 'The Warner team are excited about representing our two East Anglia hotels Gunton Hall and Corton Coastal Village, whilst raising vital funds for Macmillan Cancer Support, the friendly competitiveness has already kicked in.

'Our guests are brilliant and are always keen on supporting and getting involved in fundraising challenges. It will be a great challenge for everyone involved and we are thrilled to have two Warner teams entered and be the event sponsor.'

To take part in the dragon boat race, no previous experience is required, just plenty of team spirit and enthusiasm. The dragon boats, qualified helms and all racing equipment are provided and each crew is guaranteed a minimum of three races. There will also be a variety of entertainment alongside the races including fun fair rides, children's activities and food stalls. The festival is supported by the Lowestoft Journal.

For further information and an entry form, visit www.dragonboatfestivals.co.uk/eastanglia or call organisers Gable Events on 01780 470718.