A 'QUACKING' crowd watched more than 300 competitors take part in the New Year's Day Duck Race, which resulted in £910 winging its way to the Asian earthquake appeal.

Colin Hill, of Kidderminster and District Lions Club, which organised the event in Bewdley, said it went swimmingly well, despite a departure from the normal route due to flood alleviation work underway on Severnside South.

Instead, the ducks were thrown upstream from Severnside North and floated under the bridge to finish at Lax Lane.

"It went very well indeed. We're very pleased," Mr Hill said.

"There were definitely more people around to watch the race than usual, which was great."

The contest was won by three-year-old George Billingham, from Wolverley, while the Passey family from Dudley Wood won the category of best dressed duck and 13-year-old Jamie Mitchell's entry was crowned biggest duck in the race.