The annual charity duck race from Mansbridge to Woodmill was “an outstanding success all round” with a “bumper crowd”, according to organisers.
Photos: Damian Cook

 

 

Dave Bowring, chair of fundraising for Eastleigh Lions Club, said that the race went very smoothly, and thanked everyone for their support.

“We had a bumper crowd following the ducks, some cheering if they thought it was their duck near the front, but generally everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves," he said.

“We had help from St Denys Boat club with keeping the ducks on track (out of the trees) and at the finish line calling out the winning numbers as the ducks arrived before herding them to the side for extraction and bagging up for next year!

“Gary Scott of Scott Cables, Portsmouth, who sponsored £500 of prizes was on hand to personally hand over winning cheques after calling out the winning numbers on the PA system.

“We'd like to thank all those who supported us by taking part, and hope you all enjoyed yourselves enough to come back and do it all again next August Bank Holiday Monday."

Damian Cook, who took these photos, said on Twitter “It was a wondrous afternoon of surreal beauty, that much I know. And slightly bonkers”, while Sarah Filmer tweeted :“'race' was a big word - never have i seen ducks move so slooooooow”! :

The winning numbers, in Eastleigh Lions’ own words, were as follows:

1561
1038
1439
2183 a Bitterne family who won the paddleboard!
2844
2430
2500
1542
2213
2575
1620
1149 A Bitterne resident
2546 A Bitterne resident
2902
2401
1718
1354
3291 A Townhill Park resident
2785
2348 and the last duck home was 1598, which will be awarded a set of 4 chad valley water blasters!!!