THOUSANDS of people lined the riverside to roar on grunting paddlers as they competed in the Great York Dragon Boat Challenge.

Thirty-six teams took part in the event, organised by the Rotary Club of York, on the River Ouse, between Scarborough Bridge and Lendal Bridge, to raise money for York Against Cancer and other designated charities.

BBC Look North presenter Harry Gration, who handed out the trophies, said the spirit of the day was summed up by the captain of The Growler team, Dringhouses butcher Ged Bell, who had a serious operation three weeks ago to treat lung cancer.

Ged, 55, whose team raised more than £2,000 for the charities, was unable to paddle but still managed to roar on his team from the riverbank.

"I'm over the moon with how it went," he said.

"I'm going to find it hard to get my place back in the team - they gave 150 per cent!"

In a thrilling final which was neck and neck until the last few strokes, 2 Signals Regiment scraped home in first place, with Herbert Todd's Global Challenge team second and Ged Bell & Son Family Butcher coming third.

Flamborough Life Boat won the minor final and was awarded the Growler Trophy - a huge pork pie.

Rotary Club organisers, who have already vowed to stage another dragon boat event next July, hope to raise more than £50,000 when all the money is collected.

Updated: 10:38 Monday, July 12, 2004