COMPANIES, clubs and organisations from across the region are entering teams for the East Anglian Dragon Boat Festival at Oulton Broad next month – and there will also be some inter-county bragging rights at stake.

The event, which raises funds for East Anglia Children's Hospices (EACH) takes place at Nicholas Everett Park on Sunday, May 9, and among the entrants are rival teams representing BBC Suffolk and BBC Norfolk.

BBC Norfolk is entering a team for the first time into the event and assistant editor, Martyn Weston, said: 'We are thrilled to be involved with such a fun yet important event raising money for a very worthwhile cause.

'The sports team are leading our entry and have so far recruited one of our travel reporters, our web journalists and members of the BBC Radio Norfolk news team.

'They appear to be taking it very seriously and have already started training! We look forward to seeing just what the team can do against our rivals at BBC Suffolk and others from around Norfolk and Suffolk!'

Also swapping microphones for paddles and seeking to put one over on the competition this year will be the team from BBC Radio Suffolk, led by weekend breakfast show presenter Rob Dunger.

The BBC Suffolk team are keen to improve on their 25th placing last year and a team spokesman said: 'We had a great time last year even though we were awful sailors and came somewhere near to last!

'This year is going to be different as we have renamed our team BBC Radio Suffolk Seadogs, and want to sink the chances of team BBC Radio Norfolk beating us!'

To be part of the event and join the teams out the watery, all you need to do is raise a team of up to 11 people (squads can be larger).

The dragon boats, qualified helms and racing equipment are provided, each team gets a minimum of three races, and no previous experience is necessary.

All the teams will be seeking to knock The Sugar Babes, of British Sugar, off their pedestals as reigning champions and challenging 2010 top fund-raisers, Howes Percival, for the charity trophy and prize of a day's use of the spa with lunch at the Marriott Sprowston Manor.

To make sure your company, club or group of friends is on the start line on May 8, call Gable Events on 01780 470718 or visit the festival website at www.dragonboatfestivals.co.uk/east anglia