The world crowned a new King and Queen on Sunday of the conker, according to The Associated Press.

Amid much revelry and great intensity on the village green in the town of Ashton, Chris Jones, 48, of London was declared Conker King out of an initial field of 256 entrants.

"It was very competitive but also very festive," competition ringmaster Richard Howard told Reuters. "This year we had entries from 19 countries."

Begun in 1965 by a group of friends whose fishing trip had been cancelled, the event on the town's village green has become an annual fair attracting hundreds of entrants and thousands of spectators -- enjoying the spectacle and the beer.

Whereas last year's prize was a year's supply of a brand of ice cream supplied by the sponsor, this year the new Conker King and Queen received just a trophy for their pains.



Publication date: 09 October 2006   

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