Dartmouth Rotary went quackers last Saturday - and raised more than £3,000 to help support youth groups in the town and surrounding villages.

The club’s annual fete at Dartmouth’s Royal Avenue Gardens attracted hundreds of visitors.

The highlight of the afternoon was the now ‘World Famous’ Duck Race, which saw a large crowd gather around the Boat Float to watch around 1,000 plastic ducks being thrown into the water. It was the grand finale to a fun day with a variety of attractions including a Splat the Rat game run by Dartmouth Sea Cadets, a tombola, music and stalls run by the Inner Wheel Club of Dartmouth and Children’s Hospice South West. Refreshments and snacks were served in the tea hut and there was a barbecue as well as a grand draw.Top award for pluckiness went to Rotarian Keith Barker, who despite nursing a knee injury and carrying a crutch, sportingly donned a yellow bird costume and affectionately earned the name ‘lame duck’.

Rotarian Peter Adolphus said: “Despite the dodgy weather forecast the intrepid members of Dartmouth Rotary went ahead with their annual summer fete.

‘Some 14 craft workers and artists selling a large range of interesting merchandise took part and many locals and visitors browsed the colourful stalls throughout the day. The Children’s Hospice South West and Inner Wheel volunteers ran stalls which all added to the fantastic atmosphere.

“We’d like to thank all the many people who supported the event. We raised an impressive total of just over £3,000 and without everyone’s help and support this would not have been possible.”