HEREFORD’S third River Festival is thought to have raised close to £15,000 for charity, as well as offering bank holiday fun.

Despite threatening clouds, rain held off to encourage crowds to witness tense dragon boat racing, enjoy stalls and sideshows and hope for a win in the duck race.

The event, again organised by the City of Hereford Rotary Club, attracted 16 dragon boat entries from businesses, sports clubs, colleges and charities.

The final, between four crews, saw the team from Border Office Supplies & Systems (BOSS) pull together to take the first prize in a very close-run event.

Then Mayor of Hereford, Councillor Sylvia Daniels, launched thousands of green and yellow plastic ducks from Hunderton Bridge to head downstream towards the rowing club.

Winner of the £1,000 first prize was Dr P Aplin and the winning business duck was from Trutex School Uniform, which earned a case of Champagne.

The festival is the culmination of 12 months’ planning.

Rotary president Rob Soutar said: “This is one of our biggest fundraising events of the calendar and we have exceeded last year’s total of close to £10,000, raising around £15,000 this year, which will be donated to charities including the Midlands Air Ambulance.

“It was a great day out and I would like to thank the people of Herefordshire for their unstinting generosity.

“More than 3,000 came on Monday and we would particularly like to thank the boat racers with their various sponsors, collecting for Macmillan Cancer Care, The Full House, Royal National College for the Blind, Little Princess Trust, Asda Peddle Power and Hereford Sea Cadets.

“A special congratulations to Dytecna, which raised more than £1,500 in sponsorship.”