The Lions Club of Sidmouth will stage its biggest fundraiser of the year - the annual Great Duck Derby – on Sunday afternoon in The Byes.

Proceeds from this year’s main event will go to Nightstop Devon, the 1st Sid Vale Scout Group.

In addition to the two duck races, there will be a big bouncy castle, races and games for children and delicious ice creams.

Nightstop provides emergency overnight accommodation for temporarily homeless youngsters, while the scouts will get a funding boost as they look to equip their new HQ.

Money will also go to Lions’ charity activities.

The main, yellow duck race raised £3,200 for charity last year - in addition to the £2,100 proceeds from the corporate (red) duck race.

This year’s fun starts at 2.15pm by Sid Park Road bridge in The Byes with ‘duck and spoon’ races for children.

The corporate duck race, for local businesses, starts at 2.45pm.

It was introduced 14 years ago in order to raise money for charity, with businesses taking part donating prize cash. The three winners can then pick good causes to donate the funds to. The Lions ask that chosen charities must be for the welfare of mankind and preferably within East Devon.

The main duck race starts at 3pm when hundreds of yellow plastic ducks enter the River Sid from the Sid Park Road bridge and head downstream.

The ‘owners’ of the first 19 yellow ducks to pass the finishing line, by the weir adjacent to Waterloo Bridge, Salcombe Road, will receive prize money from more than £1,000 of cash prizes.

Tickets for the yellow duck race (£1) can be purchased from 10am to 5pm at the Lions’ stand outside the Co-op in High Street, Sidmouth today 9Friday, July 17) and outside Lidl in Woolbrook tomorrow (July 18). They are also available from Annie’s in Old Fore Street and Cards @ 83 in High Street.

Lions club members will be selling them on Sunday from gazebos near the races’ start and finish points.

Events for children include:

? ‘Duck and spoon races’: These races for children up to the age of 12 will take place from 2.15pm to 2.45pm. There will also be a mums’ race and a dads’ race. Entrants for the races should assemble near the Lions’ tent by the Sid Park Road bridge by 2pm.

? ‘Catch a lucky duck’: A game for children from four to nine near the Salcombe Road weir finishing point for the main duck races.

? ‘Box a duck egg’: A new challenge for youngsters, also near the main duck races finish point.

See photos from Sunday’s event at www.sidmouthherald.co.uk and in next Friday’s Herald.