Ducks provided a quacking time at Newmillerdam festival

Up to 400 people flocked to Owler Beck on Saturday for the annual duck race.

It was the grand finale to Newmillerdam Community and Conservation Association’s (NCCA) week-long Duck Fest.

People knitted ducks and crafted garden displays in the run up to the race. Competitions ranged from duck racing to who made the scariest duck. Welly wanging was a big hit with the crowd on race day as were the stalls and bouncy castle.

Linda Hart, from Pledwick, won the race. Rachel Day, from Sandal, came second and 20-month-old Essie Booth, from Newmillerdam, was third. The Huchinson family, of Newmillerdam, won the Scare Duck competition with Roboduck.

NCCA member Graham Franklin said: “The first Newmillerdam Scare Duck competition has been a great success, with over twenty entries around the village. There were some great themed entries, like Ducktastic Park and Ducksy Malone.

“We’d like to thank all our entrants for their effort and support. We’d particularly like to thank The Durkar Devils for their co-operation in the use of their ground and facilities, and Woodhead Investments,The Beuley Cafe, The Dam Inn Pub,The Pledwick Well Inn, The Hotel St Pierre, Lakeside Natural Healings, The Fox and Hounds and The Lakeside Restaurant for their sponsorship.”

The event raised £2,000 for charities, including the Wakefield Hospice and Max Appeal.