MORE than £5,000 was handed to Walton’s lifeboat thanks to a pirate-themed open day at Walton and Frinton Yacht Club.

The event, which was held on Saturday, included a pirate fancy dress competition alongside a host of events on and around the water.

Walton and Frinton RNLI’s lifeboat visited the club, in Mill Lane, in the morning and there were also boat trips to the Backwaters, a raft race, model yacht racing, canoeing and paddle boarding, barbecue and a bar.

The event also included the Great Walton Duck Race and the popular crabbing competition.

Steve Gregory, manager of the club, said: “For the first time we adopted a theme for the open day – pirates.

“Staff and members dug out their parrots and tricorns, their blouses and breeches to attract some 600 people.

“As usual, there was a constant queue for boat trips up Walton Channel with the club operating two launches.

“Peter and Cecilia Compton oversaw the annual crabbing competition that seeks the heaviest, the prettiest, the ugliest and the one with most barnacles.

“This year the heaviest crab weighed in at 114g and was caught by Bobby Price.

“A poor old one claw won his catcher the prize for the ‘ugliest’ crab.

“Like all the other crabs, he’s now safely back where he belongs.”

Mr Gregory said the lifeboat was the centre of attention.

He added: “Every year the lifeboat visits the club on its open day and every year people can’t wait to get aboard.

“This year club commodore Martin Jenkins gave a £5,000 cheque to Trevor Halls, coxswain of the Walton lifeboat.

“The cheque was donated by friend and club member John Apthorp.

“Every year the yacht club race Walton Lifeboat and this year is was decidedly piratical as the club rammed the RNLI. It was to no avail, they still lost.”

Jenny Livermore presented a trophy to the winning Walton Lifeboat team.

Muscling the upturned raft over the line were Andy Luton, Gary Openshaw, Tony Peters, Peter Hellard and Harry Magney.