AROUND 250 people attended the Brook Rubber Duck Derby on its return after a two-year absence.

A total of 24 races were run, with visitors of Brook Green watching the ducks racing down the stream towards the finish line.

A purpose-built dam is placed in the stream at the beginning of the event, which allows a sufficient head of water to build up before the start of each race.

Each of the sponsored races was announced by duckmaster, Jill Haviland, on her megaphone.

Jill explained: "At the sound of my loud duck whistle, the trap door in the dam was opened releasing a vast amount of water back into the stream.

"Then we released a bucket load of either 30 small, numbered yellow ducks, for the junior races or 12 larger themed ducks for adult races. The actual racing was quite a spectacle.

"Not everything went according to plan and the cowboy ducks became grounded at one point due to falling water levels and I also released the wrong set of yellow ducks causing a re-run of one of the junior races."

There were also games including decorate a duck, Quackola and the Happy Hopperze Racetrack.

Island MP Bob Seely helped serve tea and coffee and a record £690 was raised for each of two charities, Seely Hall and South Wight Area Youth.

The races were all sponsored by local individuals and businesses.