Boat day a big success

Children from Rotokauri School listen to a Waikato Regional Council harbourmaster and Ruben the road safety bear yesterday as they wait for their chance to sail their model boats down the Waikato River in Hamilton.

The fun on the river came after the school, the council and Water Safety New Zealand partnered up in a water safety awareness event for almost 200 pupils.

It involved sailing 20 model boats from the Wellington Street ramp to Memorial Park in central Hamilton.

"We've been really pleased to be working with Rotokauri School and Water Safety New Zealand in this way," said the council's navigation safety programme manager Nicole Botherway.

"It was a great event and a really fun way of getting across some serious water safety messages."