RECENT fowl weather may be sending many people quackers, but members of Dunmow Round Table saw it as an opportunity to hold their first duck race. Two hundred and fifty people gathered at Lower Downs, Braintree Road to watch as 500 plastic ducks were thro

RECENT fowl weather may be sending many people quackers, but members of Dunmow Round Table saw it as an opportunity to hold their first duck race.

Two hundred and fifty people gathered at Lower Downs, Braintree Road to watch as 500 plastic ducks were thrown into the river by children from Great

Dunmow Primary, Dunmow St Marys, Great Easton and Stebbing schools.

David Frater, Dunmow Round Table press officer, said: "It was a fantastic, fun family event. When the starting net was raised the ducks were cheered on by the children for the entire 200m course to the finishing line at the Braintree Road Bridge."

The event was organised by Round Table's Tom C Daffy. He said: "We had perfect weather and the kids had a lot of fun cheering on their ducks from the riverbank. Hopefully we canpersuade the ducks to return for next years race."

Prizes totalling £150 were given out for the first three ducks past the finishing line and all monies received on the day will be divided equally between the four schools, this is thought to be up to £200 each.

Shaun Pledger, Dunmow Round Table chairman, said: "With such a short timescale to organise this, everyone pulled together and made this yet another successful Round Table event. We will definitely do it again next year".