Loose duck race fun – pictures

WATER on the racecourse is not normally a good thing, unless you’re at the Loose Duck Race. The annual festival, organised by the village’s amenities association returned on Bank Holiday Monday.

During a day of racing, hundreds cheered on sets of quackers as they bobbed along the Loose Stream from a starting line next to The Chequers pub.

Some of the plastic animals lucky enough to find the fast-flowing parts of the stream, others went for a more leisurely journey in slack water.

Tents, stalls and rides were set up in nearby Brooks Field.

Loose began a tradition of duck racing in 1992 as a small-scale bank holiday activity. Over the years it has snowballed into one of the village’s biggest fundraisers. Money is ploughed back into village projects, including managing land in the Loose Valley.

Catherine Kenny, speaking on behalf of the Loose Amenities Association, said: “It was a wonderful day and we were so lucky with the weather. It really is a team effort to organise the day, and everyone was up at 8am preparing.”

Pictures: Ruth Cuerden FM2614640 Buy pictures from kentonline.co.uk Loose duck race gets under way

FM2614620 Crowds watch ducks go down stream

FM2614605 Josh Hope, six, with his duck

FM2614583 Lisa Butler, Sammy Butler, Martin Hession, Win Butler and Steve Butler get in to the spirit of the duck race

FM2614610 Crowds at the duck race