Here's how hordes of rubber ducks raised thousands of pounds for good causes

Ludlow Rotary Club's first ever duck races on May 27 saw crowds line the River Teme's banks from Dinham Weir to float under Dinham Bridge to the winning line a hundred yards or so downstream.

Ray Cork of Ludlow Rotary Club said: “This was the first time that we had run such an event, and it was really good that so many people, including lots of families, turned out to cheer it on and helped to raise almost £2,500 for our grants scheme.

"We are especially grateful to all who assisted on the day, not least the Friends of Whitcliffe Common who provided stewards, and Hereford Rotary Club.”

All told there were four duck races with 500 ducks released each time.

Many had been sponsored by members of the public who turned out in large numbers to cheer on their ducks from the banks of the river and from across the bridge. The winning duck in each race produced a £100 prize for the successful sponsor.

Ludlow Rotary Club hope that it will now be an annual event and are already beginning to plan for next year which, they say, will be ‘bigger and better’.

The money will go into Ludlow Rotary Cares, an annual scheme run by Ludlow Rotary Club aimed at supporting community life in and around Ludlow by offering modest grants to local charities and organisations. The maximum grant available is now £750.

Over the past 10 years Ludlow Rotary Club has been able to invest over £50,000 in over 100 local community projects through this scheme.