Hundreds go bonkers for conkers at World Conker Championships

More than 200 people have taken part in the World Conker Championships, with many competing in fancy dress.

The competition took place earlier at the Shuckburgh Arms in Southwick, Northamptonshire.

The event saw participants go head-to-head using conkers threaded on to string to try and smash their opponent’s nut.

Since its inception in 1965, the event has raised more than £400,000 for charities that support the visually impaired.

One man wore a green inflatable Yoda headpiece, while another wore a conker-themed hat.

All participants were required to follow a stringent set of rules to ensure the event was as fair as possible, which included the conkers and laces being provided by organisers.

There were fears before the event that there could be a shortage of conkers due to high winds blowing horse chestnut seeds from trees earlier in the autumn.

More than 2,000 conkers had been prepared prior to the event.

Each player took three alternate strikes at the opponent’s conker.

Trophies were handed out to the overall winners.

The “second biggest conker competition in the world” took place at The Locks Inn at Geldeston, near Beccles, on the Norfolk-Suffolk border earlier this month.