IT'S the May bank holiday – and you know what that means – ducks! In recent years it has been rather nice weather for the ducks, but this time the Colchester Lions are hoping for better luck.

Once again before the big plastic duck race, there will be a family fun day taking place in Lower Castle Park, from 11am, jam-packed with lots of activities for both young and old ranging from face painting, sideshows, stalls and donkey rides.

There will also be a series of displays taking place in the main arena with dog agility, a karate demonstration, majorettes and a Scout band.

The duck race takes place at 4pm, starting from North Station Road Bridge and will wind its way down to the weir, just before Castle Park.

Admission is £2 with proceeds once going to local charities.

Last year’s Family Day and Duck Race, along with a number of other events including September’s annual vehicle show, raised more than £4,500.

Steam trains, East Anglian Railway Museum, Wakes Colne, Sunday and Monday Fresh from the excitement of getting Blur to play there in June, the East Anglian Railway Museum will be going back to what it does best on Sunday and Monday with steam train rides.

The museum is open from 10.30am until 4.30pm where steam trains and the miniature railway will be running.

A family ticket (two adults, two children) for the event is £19.

Georgian North End Place, open garden, felsted, tomorrow and Sunday This bank holiday weekend will also see the opening of a seven acre garden in the Felsted countryside.

The green expanse at Georgian North End Place at North End has been created over the past eight years by owner Claire Benbrook and she is opening up the place under the National Gardens Scheme.

Features include a walled kitchen garden, parterre, lime walk, woodland planting and topiary, with views across the Chelmer Valley to Felsted and its church.

Entry is £4 adualts and free for children. For more details of this garden and many more in our area go to www.ngs.org.uk

Bluebell Walk, Churn Wood, Near Elmstead Market, Sunday IT’S that time of year when a carpet of blue draws in the crowds to many a hidden stretch of woodland in our area.

And one of the most popular is Churn Wood, located just outside Colchester, near Elmstead Market.

It's a private woodland that is not normally open to the public and once again for its open day there will be refreshments, plants and other stalls, woodland trails and a children’s nature hunt.

Run by the Colchester branch of the Essex Wildlife Trust the open day takes place on Sunday between 10am and 4pm. A donation of £2.50 is requested for adults and there is no charge for under 16 year olds.