A date has been set for this year’s Beccles Duck Race, organised for the third year by Beccles Rugby Club.

The popular event will be returning to Beccles Quay on August 6 from 1pm, and will include the popular raft race for the second year, alongside races for small and corporate ducks.

The raft race will be open to 10 teams with a maximum of six members in each, and is being sponsored by Read Brothers Ltd timber merchants. The duck race was staged a month earlier than usual in August for the first time last year, which proved to even more popular.

Dave Limpenny, under 10s coach at Beccles Rugby Club and duck race coordinator, said: “It was a really busy year, it felt like there were about 2,000 people there and it was a lovely sunny day. And the event made about £11,000 for the club and local community so it was really successful.”

And as well as the races there will be a fair, beer tent, a variety of stalls, refreshments and demonstrations from local youth clubs.

Mr Limpenny said: “Last year we raised money for our community hub but that is pretty much there now so we are raising money for a community minibus to be used by our youth and senior teams to replace our old bus, as well as supporting local charities.”

Ducks will go on sale at local primary schools and village fetes in the next few weeks, and will be available at locations in Beccles at a later date. Anyone interested in a corporate duck should email Alan at alannzcooper@gmail.com, to find out more about the raft race email Gareth at ghadridge@btinternet.com, and for all other enquiries email Mr Limpenny at davelimp@aol.com.

You can also visit becclesduckrace.org or search for Beccles Duck Race on Facebook.