More than 4,000 attend town's rubber duck race

The race was held at The Oracle Riverside in Reading town centre

A town's annual rubber duck race attracted record-breaking crowds, with more than 4,000 people attending to help raise money for charity, the organisers have said.

The Reading Duck Race took place in the Kennet and Avon Canal at The Oracle Riverside in the Berkshire town on Saturday.

Organised by Rotary Club of Reading Abbey and The Oracle, all of the 5,000 ducks released into the water were bought by visitors, making it the first time the event had sold out.

Andy Briggs, destination director of The Oracle, credited the event's success to it being "great fun".

Crowds gathered to watch the 5,000 yellow rubber ducks make their way to the finish line

Before the race, he said: "It's just daft that we're chucking a load of plastic ducks in a river but people love it.

"And they want to engage, raising money for a local charity... it's great fun on the day, and The Oracle is part of the community."

The ducks could be bought from £2, with the money raised going to charities chosen by the rotary club.

The aim of the race was to watch the rubber ducks bob along the canal until one reached the finish line and the person who bought it could win £200.

This year's winning duck was number 3844.

Canoeists waited near the finish line to collect the ducks at the end of the race