British and World Marbles Championship held in West Sussex

With teams mainly drawn from the UK there was also the usual contingent of players from Germany in attendance.

With 11 teams competing for the trophy, first presented in 1936, there were some good matches played, and some very skilled players demonstrating their abilities.

As well as the main tournament, during which two teams of six players attempt to be first to knock over half of the target marbles from the ring, there is an individuals match, won this year by Alex Schoop from Germany. The over 50s tournament was won by Mourad Kara from Yorkshire and Alison Reimer won the Nina Cohen Best Lady player trophy.

One of the most entertaining contests of the day, introduced last year to mark the Coronation of King Charles III, was Beat the Crown. This involves the six highest scoring players of the day attempting to knock out marbles which have been set on the ring in the shape of a crown, against the clock. With 90 seconds each the players needed the oerfect combination of skill, dexterity and speed, with the winner, German competitor Chris Pampel, knocking out 20 of the 22 target marbles, and sending most of the sand flying from the ring as he whirled around rapidly.

Last year's defending champions The Black Dog Boozers, based originally in Northgate, eventually lost a hard fought final with The Yorkshire Meds.

Tournament organiser Julia McCarthy-Fox, who now travels from New Zealand to run the world renowned event, was pleased with the day and praised the competitors for their dedication to maintaining this quirky local tradition, said: “While the majority of teams were originally based in the south east of England a number have members who have now moved away from the area, but who continue to return each year to play. “They come not only from other areas of the UK, but from France and the US. There are also the regular teams from Germany, while I arrived from New Zealand 3 days before the tournament. English traditions are a powerful thing to resist once they are a part of your life."