Aberdovey to Blackpool

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Tommy on Blackpool Beach

Well, can Del Boy win this year's best individual donkey in Britain's Best Beach Donkeys competition?

Louise Peeters was already on the beach when we arrived and there was Del Boy with his tell-tale sunflower in his bridle. There was a huge long queue of his 'fans' waiting for donkey rides.

There was Isabel and Lottie, two sisters on holiday with their parents. Then there was Katherine and Felicity wearing T-shirts of their favourite donkeys.

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What stood out with Louise's donkeys is the family atmosphere. The chat she has with the children and parents is almost as if they a picking up conversations from when they last came along for donkey rides.

After Amber had finished judging, it was time to drive the three hour journey across the country to Blackpool.

There are eight beach operators along this stretch of beach and the hours the donkeys work at Blackpool is governed very much by the tide.

We met Debbie Clews by the pier with Tommy who was this region's best individual donkey. We followed him onto the beach with the other beach donkeys and although the tide had not long gone out, I was surprised how hard the sand was, leaving their small hoof prints.

Later we moved up the beach where Karen Richardson had her group of donkeys - Ginger, Trigger, Billy, Star and Paddy.

Blackpool has received quite a bit of media coverage and ITV Granada News arranged to broadcast a live weather forecast on the beach with Karen's donkeys with Amber being seen judging in the background. This attracted quite a crowd and the donkeys were so well behaved given the amount of time involved in setting up a live broadcast.

We said goodbye to Blackpool around 7.30 pm for a two hour journey to our hotel. In the morning we'll be heading to Filey very early because of the severe weather warning. We hope that the weather holds so Amber can judge last year's winners for the best group of donkeys. After that we'll be heading back down the country to Skegness.

Day three, Aberdovey and Blackpool (275 miles)

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26 August - Filey to Skegness
27 August - Skegness to Great Yarmouth