TWO competing crews will go head-to-head on Sunday as town pride is put on the line in an annual rowing challenge.

The Beccles versus Bungay boat race returns to the River Waveney for its fourth year and local residents are being invited to go down to the river to cheer on their team.

The Waveney Valley’s own version of the famous Oxford and Cambridge university boat race will see two teams of novices line up to do battle on the water.

In red will be Beccles and in dark blue will be those representing Bungay.

Robin De Vere Green, of Beccles Rowing Club, said: “They have been training virtually every weekend up and down the river.

“Now they are all set to race each other.”

The crews are teams of four, with a coxswain steering the boat and coordinating the rowers. Their ages range from 12 to 60 and all bar one of the participants are complete beginners.

Mr De Vere Green said: “The crews represent Beccles and Bungay but they do come from a mixture of places.”

The boat race has survived from the Beccles and Bungay Challenge events that ran from 2004 to 2008.

Beccles Rowing Club saw the race as a chance to get more people interested in the sport and have continued to hold the event.

Mark Taylor took first place in the first race in 2007 and became so interested in rowing he is now club captain. He also helps train the novices together with other club committee members.

On Sunday at 10am the crews will do battle for 1,100 metres from the start line, which is situated between the sailing club and Boathouse Hill. They will travel under the A146 bridge.

Mr De Vere Green said: “We would like to encourage people to come along and cheer. We are hoping for a competitive race, but who knows, lots of things can happen.”