Supermarket giant Sainsbury's has apologised after telling Kenilworth Lions' fundraisers they could not sell tickets for the annual duck race in its local store.

The community organisation has sold tickets for the Boxing Day event in shops - including Sainsbury's on Warwick Road - for a number of years and was due to do the same last week.

However, the Lions revealed on social media they had been turned away from Sainsbury's last week and told they could not sell tickets there anymore.

"Sadly the Kenilworth Lions were asked not to sell Duck Race tickets and to leave Sainsbury's this morning," the group said on December 12.

A member of Kenilworth Lions told Nub News the volunteers were "most upset" at being forced to leave, and have "lost a lot of money in sales" as a result.

Kenilworth Lions is still selling tickets for the annual race at Kenilworth Books, Gentry, Lions Furniture Store (Saturday morning only), and at Castle Home Luxuries.

Having been contacted by Kenilworth Nub News, a Sainsbury's spokesperson said: "Sainsbury's is committed to making a positive difference in the communities that we serve. 

"We are in touch with the charity organisation to tell them how sorry we are for the misunderstanding and offer a donation as a gesture of goodwill."

Tickets will also be sold on Boxing Day in Abbey Fields.

The fundraising event will start at 12noon on December 26 at the ford.

Kenilworth Lions will also be running its second corporate Duck Race, having first launched the initiative in 2021.

Using the larger decoy ducks, local businesses are encouraged to decorate their own entry.

With each costing £50, the extra race also raises a lot of money for the nominated charity of the winning duck.