NEARLY £20,000 has been raised for a vital life-saving service thanks to one community’s generosity.

Each year, crowds in Bude come out in force for the August Bank Holiday weekend as they seek to raise money for one of the town’s most important services, Bude Lifeboat Station.

This year, residents and visitors came together for a number of events, with races, quizzes, and live music all entertaining the masses.

For many, one of the annual highlights is the Rotary Club’s international duck race, which sees the little yellow swimmers battle it out to secure a victory for their sponsors.

A spokesperson from the Rotary Club of Bude said: “In terms of facts and figures all 4,000 £1 race tickets were sold on two days at Morrisons, two days at Nanny Moore's Bridge and on race day at the bridge, the Brendon Arms and elsewhere.

“The Rotary Club sincerely thanks all of those who helped organise the race and members of the public who so generously bought tickets.”

Throughout the event, crowds consistently dig deep into their pockets to raise money for the local RNLI, a service which provides support lifesaving near and in the water all year round, and 2026 was no different, with the event raising an impressive £19,000 for the local lifeboat station.

Following such success, organisers have thanked all who attended and helped put together the event. A spokesperson said: “We would like to thank all those that attended and contributed to the success of the day and the amount raised.

“This is an outstanding result and provides vital funding to support the work of the RNLI and the volunteer crew here in Bude.

“We would also like to thank everybody that worked hard to make all the events and activities happen!”