The first entrants have signed up for the 2015 edition of the East Anglian Dragon Boat Festival.

After a year’s absence, the once annual event will be returning to Nicholas Everitt Park, Oulton Broad in Lowestoft on Sunday, May 31, in aid of East Coast Hospice.

Up to 40 crews from Lowestoft, Waveney and throughout East Anglia are expected to battle it out over the 200m racecourse on the Broad, raising much-needed funds to build the first hospice in the area.

The dragon boats, qualified helms and all racing equipment are provided and each crew is guaranteed a minimum of three races.

The Great Yarmouth and Waveney area currently has no inpatient hospice care.

Recognising this hole in palliative care, the charity has purchased a five-acre site near Beacon Park on the Hopton/Gorleston border and planning permission has been granted for a 10-bed in-patient facility with complementary therapy rooms, day care and a garden.

The hospice’s community fundraiser, Jeff Wood, said: “The hospice is pleased to be a part of bringing back such a high-profile event to the people of Lowestoft and Waveney. It will be a wonderful day for colleagues, friends and families to get together and challenge themselves to racing a dragon boat.”

For further information visit www.dragonboatfestivals.co.uk/eastanglia or call 01780 470 718. To find out more about the work of the hospice call 01493 718707 or visit www.eastcoasthospice.co.uk for details.