THE annual Looe River Duck Race organised by the Lions Club finally took to the water on Sunday over the Bank Holiday weekend, having been postponed a week earlier due to the bad weather. The sun came out as the 4,000 ducks were launched from Looe Bridge into the river, and the tide, running well down stream, carried the flotilla to another successful finish. This year the Lions were pleased to note there was a good mix between locals and visitors claiming the prizes, with the first duck home, winning £500 for Mr Ralty Woolfe of Looe. The cheque was presented to Ralty, now in his 90s at his home. When he retired as Commodore of the China Navigation Company he was an auxiliary coastguard for 10 years, so he asked the Lions to donate £250 from his winnings to the Looe RNLI lifeboat. Second and third were Kirsty Knox of Yorkshire who won £200 and Polperro's Julie Puckey who won £100. Andrew Buck in 4th won £50. The ten winners each receiving £25 were: Mr and Mrs Lynes (Hants), Mr Harper, Mrs Symons (Widegates), B Lear, Arthur Wills (Lanreath), Harry May (Sussex), Millpool Garage (Looe), Ian Stacey (Widegates), Margaret Powell, David Back.
