MAY Day Bank Holiday Monday in Monxton means the annual Monxton Mucky Duck Race on Pillhill Brook.

This year the popular event raised funds for Amport School and Monxton Village Hall and with the finishing post at the rear of the Mucky Duck - also known as the Black Swan - duck fanciers were guaranteed a good time.

This year 100 yellow plastic ducks entered each race, at £1 a duck.

Andover MP Sir George Young launched the first 100 ducks, helped by his grandchildren.

Other stalls helped swell the coffers.

"We just about avoided a Steward's Inquiry, as not all the ducks hit the water at the same time," said Sir George. "And we had a photo finish at the end of the first race, as about five ducks hit the tape simultaneously."