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WATCH: Boat-load of fun at Dudley canal festival

Thousands of people went down to the canalside as a popular festival returned to Dudley.

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More than 70 narrowboats lined up as the Parkhead Canal Festival took centre stage once again.

The biennial event also featured a range of historic working boats, while up on dry land there were an array of vintage and classic cars.

Stalls were also set up at the canalside selling various produce.

The canalside was packed with visitors

Some festival favourites returned, including the competitive duck race, which sees visitors pay £1 for a plastic duck before cheering it on to win the race as it is shot along the water. A horse-drawn boat was also part of the show, with mare Caroline doing the honours up on the towpath.

The festival, held along the Dudley No 1 Canal, at Parkhead Locks, has always proved popular over the years.

Visitors were given the chance to board the boats and sample some old-fashioned Black Country life.

A model railway exhibition was also on display.

An array of boats were on display

The festival was organised by the Dudley Canal Trust and the Worcester, Birmingham and Droitwich Canal Society and ran on Saturday and Sunday. Chairman of the organising committee Steve Bingham estimated there could have been as many as 10,000 people who visited over the course of the weekend.

He said: "It went very well. It was packed on both days.

"We had 71 narrowboats here and 68 classic vehicles.

"Some of the boats allowed visitors to go on.

"We also had a steam boat go through the Dudley tunnel for the first time, so that was an historic moment."

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