Chepstow Camel race begins

It's popular in the Middle East and was being held at Chepstow racecourse for the very first time. Run over a furlong, this camel racing event was raising money for the Bristol charity Paul's Place.

Camels and their jockey's have taken part in an unusual race in Chepstow this afternoon.

Bets were taken at the Camel Derby to raise money for the Bristol Charity Paul's Place.

As the charity camel race gets underway at Chepstow this afternoon, we've put together a list of 5 things you probably didn't know about the unique sport:

• Camel racing is a popular sport in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates
• The animals can reach 40mph in short sprints and maintain a speed of 25mph for an hour
• Because of the weight difference between male and female camels, they generally race separately

• A robot jockey is commonly used in camel racing as a replacement for human jockeys
• It's not known when camel racing first began as a sport, but on the Arabian Peninsula it can be traced to at least the 7th century

Camels are patiently waiting to begin their race at Chepstow racecourse.

The sport, which is popular in the Middle East, is coming to the area for the first time.

The charity event is raising money for Paul's Place, which supports adults with physical and sensory impairment.

Jockeys at Chepstow racecourse are in for a bumpy ride today as they take part in a charity camel race.

The sport, which is popular in the Middle East, is coming to the area for the first time.

Two heats, each made up of four camels, will follow the horse racing, and the first ones across the line will be entered into the Derby.

The charity event is raising money for Paul's Place, which supports adults with physical and sensory impairment.