THE annual New Year’s Day rubber duck race held in a Ribble Valley village went swimmingly.

The traditional event was organised by members of the Bolton-by-Bowland Young Farmers group and more than 150 people joined in by buying a duck and watching it float down the River Ribble.

There were cash prizes for the first three past the finishing line.

This year the race was in aid of Jack’s Journey, a charity which was set up to support four-year-old Jack Lambert from the village who had been diagnosed with a brain tumour. He is currently in remission.

Jessica Townson, chairman of the Bolton-by-Bowland group and vice-chairman of the Lancashire Young Farmers said: “It was a wonderful day. It started to rain a little bit but apart from that it was great.

“It is a tradition we have had for a few years now. We chose Jack’s Journey because it is a local charity and a few of our members are friends of his family or are related to Jack.

“It is very close to our hearts.”

The day also involved a tug-of-war between eight villagers and eight young farmers.

Jessica, 23, said: “Unfortunately this year the villagers won but we won it last year so it was their turn.”

Bolton-by-Bowland Young Farmers was set up in 1937 and currently has 25 members aged between 10 and 26.