IT proved to be a "fairytale ending" for the winners of York's Dragon Boat Challenge - who were fired up by the memory of their late inspirational captain.

The Growlers team had decided to race one more time in tribute to legendary Dringhouses butcher and charity fundraiser Ged Bell, who originally formed the group four years ago.

It had been the father-of-two's dream to lift the Rotary Club's Dragon Boat Cup, but he had always narrowly missed out.

When he died last year after suffering from lung cancer, his son, Lee, decided to give it one last shot.

Inspired by the cry of "let's do this for Ged", the team paddled to victory in a thrilling final, less than a second in front of Slippery When Wet and last year's victors, DST Deserters.

The Growlers, who dressed as characters from Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs, also raised £3,400 for Yorkshire Cancer Research.

"We won this trophy for dad - it was as if he was out there on the river with us driving us on," said Lee, who is getting married on Saturday.

Ged's wife, Lynn, 54, of Holgate, said The Growlers had planned to make it their last year, but now felt they must defend the title.

She said: "I was so proud of the team who pulled together so well.

"It was a miracle we won anything considering the number of hangovers among them. It was a very emotional day and everywhere I looked at the end there were tears."

Ged's daughter, Nicola, of Holgate, who donned a Snow White costume, was the team's drummer.

The team later staged a raucous celebrations in The Fox And Roman pub, Tadcaster Road.

But the final race nearly ended in disaster for The Growlers when York property magnate and team sponsor Ian Nixon suffered an agonising back spasm minutes before the start.

He was dropped off by the riverbank and an elderly member of the team's entourage was frantically persuaded to fill the space.

Ged was given a special award before his death by the Rotary Club in recognition of his community fundraising efforts.

Former Rotary Club president David Impey, who was a friend of Ged's, said the victory had given Lynn and the family a "terrific boost".

"It was a fairytale ending from a very sad beginning," he said. "Ged would have been thrilled to bits - he didn't do anything by halves."