Following its cancellation in 2020, the Kenilworth Boxing Day duck race will return this year with an extra event to support local businesses.

Organised by the Kenilworth Lions, the ducks will return to Abbey Fields on December 26 with a new corporate race before the main attraction.

As ever the race will be raising money for the Lions to invest in local organisations and charities.

But the new corporate race will see local businesses buy and decorate their own much bigger decoy duck. Most of the £50 cost of each duck will go into a pot to be donated to a charity of the winning business' choice.

Event organiser Sue Meads said: "It's a bit of fun, they can decorate their duck with their business logo or with a design, it supports our local businesses and it raises some money for charity.

"And there are only two rules – no motors and no radio control!"

After the corporate race it will be business as usual for the 1,500 smaller ducks with Mayor of Kenilworth Cllr Peter Jones scheduled to tip the ducks into the river at 12pm.

Prizes of £100, £75, £25 will be awarded to the 'owners' of the first three ducks.

Tickets will be on sale on the day from 11am, and across town throughout December.

"The biggest thing now for us is selling tickets," said Sue.

"Of course we were knocked for six with the lights switch on being cancelled the other day because that is a big time where we sell lots of tickets."

Tickets will be on sale from Leyes Lane Pharmacy, Baker's Dozen, Steve Crowe, Kenilworth Books, Gentry, TKC, The Waverley Centre and Angels Hair Salon.

Lions volunteers will also be selling tickets between 10am and 4pm on the following days:

• Fri 3 & Sat 4 Dec - Waitrose Kenilworth
• Fri 10 Dec - Sainsbury's Kenilworth
• Sat 11 Dec - Kenilworth Christmas Market
• Fri 17 Dec & Sat 18 Dec - Waitrose Kenilworth

Most of all though Kenilworth Lions are just looking forward to the return of their much-loved event. Sue added: "We cannot wait! "Everyone is so excited for it happening this year. We have all had such a tough time during the pandemic that I think people are just so excited to get out for a few hours as normal this Boxing Day." And if your business is interested in sponsoring a corporate duck, contact Sue at [email protected] More Kenilworth news stories: - Kenilworth planning this week: Salon becomes house and accountant's new signs

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