Tickets on sale for Sidmouth Lions Club’s annual Duck Derby

And they're off! The annual Great Duck Derby is back on July 9. (Image: Archant)

Prizes are up for grabs to boost local charities as Sidmouth Lions Club’s Great Duck Derby returns this month.

The annual event will take place on Sunday, July 9, in The Byes, between 2pm and 4.30pm.

The event raised more than £4,000 last year. Proceeds from this year’s race will be split between Parkinson’s UK and Devon in Sight, a local sight loss charity.

Since its formation in 1976, the Lions has donated more than £410,000 to local, national and international deserving charitable causes - £250,000 of which to groups and individuals in East Devon.

Onlookers watch the ducks travel down the River Sid towards the finishing line. (Image: Archant)

The children’s events will begin at 2pm with a fun afternoon for families with games and the chance to play on a big slide and bouncy castle.

Visitors can also sign up to the duck and spoon race and will need to meet adjacent to the Sid Park Road pedestrian bridge at 2pm.

Businesses are being encouraged to sign up for the corporate duck race which cost £5.

The race will start at 2.45pm with the first three red ducks over the line winning a cash prize for a charity of the businesses choice.

Last year’s corporate contest raised £2,000 for Cruse Bereavement Care Devon (£1,000), FORCE cancer support (£600) and Children’s Hospice South West (£400).

Eyes will then turn to the Sid Park Road bridge at 3pm for the main event as participants hope their yellow duck is one of the fastest downstream to the finish line.

The lucky ‘owners’ of the first nineteen ducks to finish will receive a slice of the prize pot of more than £1,000.

Duck tickets cost £1 and are available at Paper Moon, Annies, and No. 83 for Cards.

The Lions will also be selling tickets outside the Co-op from 10am to 4pm on July 4 to 7 and at Lidl on July 8.

Remaining tickets will be available to purchase on the day before the start of the main duck race.