Hundreds of ducks are said to be limbering up in readiness for their annual Eastleigh Lions charity race, which makes a splash from Mansbridge to Woodmill on bank holiday Monday (Aug 28).
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Raising cash for community causes, local businesses have provided prizes for the sponsors of the winning plastic waterfowl, hundreds of which will be numbered and released en masse at Mansbridge to then – hopefully – float downstream to the finishing line.
The race is always popular with spectators, who walk downstream to watch events unfold.
Speaking previously about last year’s race, Dave Bowring, chair of fundraising for Eastleigh Lions Club, said: “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."
The duck race - in 2005
St Denys Boat Club will be on the river to marshal any web-footed wanderers away from bankside trees and help prevent any ducks from getting lost or injured.
Tickets to sponsor a duck are £2 each or £20 per book, still available from the Eastleigh Lions stall on the footpath near Woodmill on Saturday and Sunday from around 11am – 3pm, and, it’s hoped, from around 10am on Monday.
Prizes for this year's event are being finalised but are likely to include cash, a family portrait from Phillips Photography, coffee from SoRoast, gift cards from Southampton Airport, a ferry journey, a summer hamper and many more.
The race is on from 2.30pm from Mansbridge. The weather forecast is so far looking reasonable – and the signs are good for another quacking good duck race!