Hundreds of fancy-dress competitors get filthy in the annual Maldon Mud Race

Hundreds of competitors in the annual Maldon Mud race donned brightly coloured fancy-dress before ploughing through knee-deep mud on May 12.

Some competitors wore nothing but a layer of the thick black mud by the end of the race.

This strange race takes place in the mud of the River Blackwater in Essex and raises tens of thousands of pounds for various charities every year.

Competitors wore a variety of costumes from clown outfits, magic fairy clothes with magic wands, face make-up and all. Some wore superman t-shirts, perhaps hoping it would help them fly over the quagmire and some wore nothing at all.

The race starts out on the banks of the River Blackwater. As the countdown begins everyone is in high spirits. It's maybe seconds into the race before most of the colourful costumes are totally covered in mud. The competitors, very quickly, move from and upright running position to a slow crawl and inch their way through the boggy mess.

Footage shows hundreds gathered at the edge of the river with big smiles and beautiful costumes. At the end of the countdown one eager competitor dashes off through the mud and dives into the water as most fall prey to the soggy ground underfoot.

There is a hilarious clip of a fairy Godmother covered head to toe in mud trying to stand up. She finally makes it upright before falling headfirst back into the muddy-marsh with a good 'splat' sound accompanying.

There is also a good clip of a girl wearing a pristine ballerina costume half-covered in mud crawling through the riverbed looking as though she is trying not to get dirty.

The filmer captures one man barely holding onto a GoPro camera sliding along the mud covered head to toe in the dark brown substance. When this competitor stands up, covering his groin area with his hand, it is clear that he is wearing nothing but a suit of mud.

The footage also shows spectators sitting high-and-dry above the filthy contestants watching with glee as the dirty sport takes place beneath them.

The competitors are clearly physically taxed towards the end of the race but most are laughing while revelling in the filth.