IN temperatures of five degrees, the last thing you expect to see charging towards you is a camel, or three.

The bizarre scene greeted around 1,500 people at Chepstow Racecourse today, after seven conventional races.

The animal participants all had four legs, but it was left to those of a more furry variety to line up in the William Hill camel derby, in mud rather than sand.

Jockeys including At the Races presenter Matt Chapman and three day event rider Laura Collett were expected to be the stars of the show, especially the latter due to her skills in the saddle.

At the conclusion of the last race, betting slips were screwed up and all remaining money was placed on Ms Collett, who has retrained horse racing great Kauto Star and was in the first of two heats.

As she and Chapman gathered in the paddock with their six rivals amid much laughter, camels appeared in the distance like a scene from the front of a Christmas card.

Bookmaker Andy Smith who is usually taking people’s money in the Chepstow ring, was expending a little nervous energy by chatting to those around him: “When I was asked to take part I was drunk, I said yes and had a bit more to drink. I’m about three stone too heavy to be a jockey!”

The camels entered the paddock to squeals of delight from Laura Day, chairman of trustees of Bristol based charity Paul’s Place, which the day was in aid of.

She said more than £30,000 had been raised: “It’s super,” she said, “It has raised the profile of the charity so much,” as the camels kneeled in front of her and the jockeys managed somehow to climb aboard.

Back on their feet they were led to the start of the one furlong contest by their handlers.

They were released and it was Tim Hart, an unconsidered outsider being a racehorse owner, who stole an early lead on his eager mount.

“It was terrifying,” he declared, as Ms Collett found the humps a hindrance by finishing the race a little adrift.

In heat two there was another upset, with Mr Smith’s large whisky beforehand obviously having the desired effect, as he came home the winner.

Jockey Killian Moore finished third.

His last ride was on a racehorse at Cheltenham at the weekend: “I missed the break. It would have been nice to have had another go but I was delighted I didn’t fall off.”

As the night drew in, it was a little dark by the time of the final, which was contested by the first two from each heat.

Amid the gloom emerged the famous green and yellow silks of JP McManus, which AP McCoy wore to land his 4,000th winner on November 7.

While the ride was not as power-packed as the champion, the camel fairly sprinted to victory: “It was great fun,” said winning jockey Charlie Hancock.

But really it was the taking part that mattered, as the jockeys managed to raise £10,000 in sponsorship adding to the total for Paul’s Place.