Shropshire Star

Rescheduled duck race hailed a quacking success

Around 1,200 ducks could be seen bobbing on the River Severn in Bridgnorth at the weekend, as a rescheduled duck race took place in the town.

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Arranged by the Bridgnorth Lions, the annual duck race had to be postponed earlier in the year when rising river levels meant the event was too treacherous for people to take part.

The event was postponed until Sunday, when hundreds of spectators lined the Riverside and Bridge in Low Town to witness the spectacle.

Th event on the River Severn in Bridgnorth saw local people purchase a duck for £3 and race them along the river for charity.

The Bridgnorth Lions at the Duck Race on Sunday

“We had 1,200 ducks serenely floating past our four Specialist Duck Extractors, who could only watch in dismay as our little yellow friends bobbed under the Bridge and headed off towards Quatford, Hampton Loade and beyond,” said Howard Davies of the Bridgnorth Lions.

“But we are truly grateful to the three volunteers from Bridgnorth Canoe Club who spent the next three hours extracting scores of little ducks (and quite a few Big Duck) from the riverbanks.

“We suspect a few might just have got away. So, if you see any, take a quick snap and send into The Lions, telling us where they are. We will send out our Quack Search & Rescue Team to bring them home safely. And there might just be a prize for the strangest location.

“Thank you to everyone who bought a duck this year, to those who helped on the day (a special shout out to Chris from Middle Severn Angling in Low Town), and anyone who stopped by to watch our little event.”

He said the first three over the line in this year's duck race, were numbers 471 (first), 723 (second) and 118 (third) who are to be contacted over the next few days to be given a prize.