The conkers were back and ready for swinging as the World Conker Championships returned.
The event, which took place in Peterborough in England on Sunday, welcomed more than 300 competitors and around 5,000 spectators from across the globe.
No costume was off limits for competitors, with Stephanie Withall – a previous champion – donning a bee outfit to pay homage to her job as a beekeeper.
There was also an Elvis lookalike, a Spider-Man, and a competitor dressed as a beer bottle – whose wearer appeared to be having lots of fun taking on her rivals at the event.
Pensioners got in on the action too, with one – Phil Watkins (75) – eyeing up his target to achieve the best shot possible, while others were captured with massive grins on their faces as the competition got into full swing.
All competitors need to follow a stringent set of rules to ensure the event is as fair as possible, which includes the conkers and laces used being provided by organisers, while laces cannot be knotted further or distorted with.
Additionally, a minimum distance of no less than 20cm of lace must be between knuckle and nut for both the “striking” and “receiving” players.
Organisers added that conkers are drawn “blind” from a bag, with players being allowed to reject up to three conkers.
To win, the opponent’s conker needs to be smashed and if both are broken at the same time, new conkers will be drawn.
Further rules apply if a game lasts more than five minutes and penalties can also be given out for foul play.
Aside from the fun people have at the event, the main aim of the championships is to support charities helping the visually impaired.
Since the event’s inception in 1965, a total of £420,000 (€480,000) has been raised.
