A range of good causes have received a welcome cash boost thanks to a record breaking year at Sidmouth’s annual duck derby.

This year’s event, organised by the Sidmouth Lions, raised a total of £5,700 which has been split between a series of charities.

July 19 saw two separate races in The Byes – with a corporate event, open to Sid Valley businesses, taking place first.

The £1,000 first prize was won by Hotel Riviera.

Proprietor Peter Wharton has chosen to donate all the whole amount towards the appeal to fund an Admiral Nurse to provide specialist dementia support in the Sidmouth area.

The second prize of £650 was won by Sidmouth Garden Centre, which is giving the money to Sid Valley Memory Café.

A third prize of £450 was won by Merrifield Dental Practice in Mill Street, and principal dentist David De Klerk is donating the £450 to South African charity Qhubeka.

Lion president Ian Skinner said: “Sidmouth Lions are absolutely delighted with the support this year for the Corporate Duck Race and the humanitarian charities chosen by the winners.

“The Lions would therefore like to thank all the local business organisations that have participated in and supported this year’s corporate duck race.”

The main race for the general public, featuring yellow ducks, started at 3pm but because of the lack of water flow in the River Sid, the leading ducks took over an hour to reach the finish.

Following the race, £1,600 was presented by Lion president Ian to Nightstop Devon, which provides emergency overnight accommodation for temporarily homeless youngsters.

£1,600 was also given to the 1st Sid Vale Scout Group. This money will go towards the group’s new headquarters building currently under construction at the top of Salcombe Hill.

The first prize of £400 was claimed by Mr B Davey, from Fareham in Hampshire.

Richelle Hall from Sidmouth bagged the second place prize of £100, with Melanie Pugsley, also from Sidmouth, winning £75 for her third place finish.

The winners were:

1st - £400 - Mr B Davey, Fareham, Hampshire.

2nd - £100 - R Hall, Sidmouth.

3rd - £75 - Mrs M Pugsley, Sidmouth.

4th - £40 - Mr R Hart, Sidmouth.

5th - £40 - Mr A Thomas, Sidmouth.

6th - £40 - Mrs B Springgay Carsharlton, Surrey.

7th - £40 - S Hurson, Seaton.

8th - £40 - Mr F Wybrow, Honiton.

9th - £40 - Mrs Watts, Newton Poppleford.

10th - £20 - D Challeson Mirfield, W Yorks.

11th - £20 - E Hoslett, Poole.

12th - £20 - R Smith, Okehampton.

13th - £20 - G Blandford, Stroud, Glos.

14th - £20 - Marcus.

15th - £20 - D Oxley, Sidmouth.

16th - £20 - C Dewhirst, Sidmouth.

17th - £20 - L Haslem, Sidmouth.

18th - £20 - Bryant, Sidmouth.

19th - £20 - J Farmer, Stoke on Trent.

The race sponsors were:

4 Homes; A & J Carpenters; A J Gravelius; Anchor Inn; Annies; Apollonia House Dental Practice; Ashleigh Bishop; Axe Valley Home Care; Banwell Antiques; Baraza; Baters Removals; Beatlands Building Services; Beauty Within; Becketts; Bedford Hotel; Bennett & Rodgers; Berwick Guest House; Black Horse Inn; Bloaters; Blue Ball Inn; Bradfords; Canterbury House; Carinas Nightclub; Central Garage 4x4; Chapter; Cheeseboard; Cheriton Guest House; Church Street Art & Antiques; Churchill Fresh Foods; Clearvac; Coastal Coffee Lounge; Coles Cards; Coombe Bank Guest House; Co-op Supermarket; Cooper Farm Hill Meats; Country Bloomers; Daffy Down Dilly; Deans Taxis; Dotty Home Gifts; Doughnut Deli; Drain Master; Drews of Sidbury; Dukes Hotel; Dunscombe Manor Holidays; East Devon Associates; East Devon Physiotherapy; Easterbrook Eaton; Element Hair; Elizabeth Hotel; Emilys Chocolates; Emm-Lec; Everys; Farmhouse Cottage; Fields of Sidmouth; Filling Station; Fitzalan Gems; Flo & Us; Flutterbys; Ford Simey; Fords; Forever England; Frills; Gilbert Stephens LLP; Glendevon Hotel; Gliddons Toys; Golden Gate Hair; Good As New Dress Agency; Goviers of Sidmouth; Grace; Graze; Grosvenor Salon; Groveside Guest House; Hair Design; Hair Studio; Hair Temple; Hairflair; Hall & Scott; Hamilton Garage; Harrison-Lavers & Potbury; Haymans Butchers; Headliners; Holmedale Surgery; Holmleigh Guest House; Hotel Riviera; Housewares; Hugh Symons Info Management; Humbug Gifts; Hunter’s Moon Hotel; I Want…I NeedIan Roper & Co; Ikin & Oxenham; Jackdaws Antiques; JBM Jewellery; John’s Motors; Judif’s; Jurassic Vets; Kingsdown Business Park; Kingsdown Tail Caravan Park; Kingsdown Tail Garage; Kingswood & Devoran Hotel; Kirby & Son; LAP Electrical; Lexy’s Hair, Sidford; Littlecourt Cottages; Lloyds Pharmacy (Sidford); Louie the Barber; LSF Holiday Cottages; Market Fish Stall; Martin & Lane Carpets; McShaw Optometrist; Merrifield Dental Practice; Michelmores LLP; Moores Restaurant; Morris Lettings; Mountstephen Jewellers; Neil’s Restaurant; No.1 By Design; Northcott Brothers; Oak Tree Garage; Oakdown Holiday Park; Paper Moon; Paragon Books; Parsons & Son

Potburys Funeral Service; Potburys of Sidmouth; Pure Indulgence; R.C.H. Services; Radway Inn; Radway Lodge Partnership; Redferns Estate Agents; Rising Sun, Sidford; Robert Frith Optometrists; Rolys Fudge; Rose Cottage Guest House; Royal York Hotel

Salcombe Regis Camping /Caravans; Sambati’s Café; Seabrease Health & Beauty; Shakespeare Upholsterer; Shauls; Sid Vale Metal Craft; Sid Valley Alterations; Sid Valley Cars; Sid Valley Country Hotel; Sidford Post Office; Sidmouth Beach Trading; Sidmouth Body Repairs; Sidmouth Chiropractic Centre; Sidmouth Garden Centre; Sidmouth Gifts; Sidmouth Jewellers; Sidmouth Nursing Home

Sidmouth Pets; Sidmouth Post Office; Sidmouth Scaffolding; Sidmouth Self Service; Sidmouth Stationery & Travel Goods; Sidmouth Trawlers; Sidmouth Tyre & Exhaust; Sidmouth Wines; SidSoft computers; Skinners Construction; Sky Blue Aero Services; Spar – Sidford; Sporting Images; Stag Menswear; Steve’s Auto Services; Tangles Hair; Taste of Sidmouth; Tasty Baguette; Tesco; The Chattery; The Hairloft; The Hollies Guest House; The Loft Restaurant; The Old Farmhouse; The Salty Monk Hotel; Thorn Coachworks; Thorn Golf Centre; Vinnicombes; W V Fish (Cycles); Wayside Supermarket; Westchem; Willow Bridge Guest House; Willow Framing; Willow Tree Restaurant; Winstones Bookstore; Woodley’s Joinery; Woolbrook News; Woolbrook Post Office; Your Move Estate Agents