World Conker Champions crowned in Northamptonshire

A woman crowned "conker queen" said she felt "ecstatic" to take the title for the third time and don the coveted coronet at the World Conker Championships 2023.

Thousands of people gathered to watch horse chestnut experts battle it out at the event in Northamptonshire.

Jasmine Tetley from Nottingham won the women's title, while Mark Hunter, from Northamptonshire, won the men's.

In a final showdown between the pair, Ms Tetley beat Mr Hunter.

More than 250 competitors took part this year in the annual spectacle at Southwick, near Oundle, which has been running since 1965 and culminates with the crowning of the winners.

This year's winner of the women's competition, Ms Tetley, 30, from Nottingham, first won in 2019 and again in 2021.

"There was a lot of pressure at the end, to make that last shot," she said.

"You never know who you're going to play."

Having won three times, she said she did not really feel like she needed to prepare for next year's bout, but added: "If I win again, it's amazing".

Proudly sporting her crown, she said: "I'm really ecstatic."

You cannot use just any old conker in this highly-regulated competition.

The nuts are gathered and strung by volunteers from Ashton Conker Club, which organises the event.

The rules of the game are strict and state that conkers cannot be tampered with or reused, and there must be at least 20cm (8in) of lace between knuckle and nut.

Each player takes three alternate strikes at their opponent's conker, with a game decided once one of the conkers is smashed.

Richard Howard, ringmaster and chief umpire, said: "Since the 17th Century, conkers has been a game played mainly by children... adults love to play the game [too], but they feel foolish. Now they've got a reason - the World Conker Championships."

He said while there were fewer overseas competitors this year, people had come from as far as Scotland, Wales, the West Country and quite a few from London.

Why had some overseas visitors forsaken this year's event?

"I think they have accepted that we are so much better than they are," he quipped.

During its long history, the competition has raised about £450,000 for sight impairment charities.

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