Despite an hour's delay in starting their race and then hitting a swan, catching a crab and having to restart, Oxfordshire firefighters said they were delighted with their first race against their rivals from Cambridgeshire.

The race, part of the City of Oxford Rowing Club's annual regatta on Saturday, raised more than £4,000 for Sobell House hospice in Oxford in memory of former colleague Steve Vermeulen, 47, from Wolvercote, who died there of a brain tumour last year.

Now they hope the event will become an annual contest for the trophy given by the Fire Services Association.

If it does, Oxfordshire will be after revenge after losing to the Cambridgeshire crew.

The start of the race, on the Thames between Christ Church Meadow and Donnington Bridge, was delayed for an hour as the boat was being used by other crews on the river.

It was renamed Oscar -- Steve Vermeulen's nickname -- and shortly after the start the boat hit a swan. Then following a clash of oars the race had to be restarted.

Oxford organiser Paul Oakey said: "The weather was perfect for us, the support was tremendous and we all enjoyed ourselves.

"But the main aim was to raise money for Sobell House where staff looked after Steve so marvellously in his last days."

The Cambridge team raised money for Cancer Research UK. Only one of the 16 firefighters had rowed before the crews started training for the event.

Mr Oakey said: "We had the most tremendous support from Oxford rowers who loaned us the boats, trained us and made sure we were at least competent on the water.

"They were marvellous."

The Oxford crew, coxed by Joe Thoenes from Fox FM, were Mr Oakey and colleagues Frank Patterson and Ross Mclaren based at Rewley Road, Simon Belcher and Graham Mitchell from Banbury, Darran Gough from Kidlington, Richard Allington from The Slade and Bob Patterson from Abingdon.

Steve Vermeulen's widow Ann was among those watching the race. She said: "This is really typical of the way firefighters look after each other.

"They have been marvellous to me and I am so proud of this race in Steve's name.

"Some years ago Steve was in the crew which did a fundraising event rowing from Devizes to Windsor.

"He would have been in this race today if it had been raising money for a colleague.

"He would have been very proud, too, to see his colleagues rallying round like this."

One man who didn't mind which team won was Laurie Booth.

He used to be a firefighter with Oxfordshire and is now with crews in Cambridgeshire.

He said: "I'll shout for both sides equally -- they're a marvellous bunch of lads showing that the fire service cares for its own people."