Hundreds join huge scrum for medieval game

Hundreds of radical person turned retired to instrumentality portion successful a centuries-old rugby-style crippled involving rival villagers.

The yearly Haxey Hood game betwixt pubs successful the North Lincolnshire villages of Haxey and Westwoodside dates backmost to the 14th Century.

It involves ample crowds of radical facing disconnected successful a wide scrum to propulsion a leather tube, known arsenic the hood.

This year's lawsuit was won by The Loco pub successful Haxey, which volition proudly show the prize for the remainder of 2025.

The crippled begins with the ceremonial "fool" delivering a code portion a bonfire is lit down him, covering him successful smoke.

Traditionally the crippled – which tin tally for hours and attracts hundreds of spectators and participants – involves pushing the 3ft (1m) hood to 1 of the 4 pubs successful the 2 villages.

James Chatwin, who plays the quality of the "fool", said the lawsuit resembled a immense rugby scrum.

"It's not nasty, but it is carnal – it's not for the faint-hearted," helium said.

The champion portion was the assemblage spirit, with everyone from the section country getting involved.

"It's the champion schoolhouse reunion you could ever privation for," helium added.

The fool's code ends with the chant: "Hoose agen hoose, toon agen toon, if a antheral meets a antheral sound 'im doon, but doan't 'ot 'im,"

Put simply, Mr Chatwin said it meant players should look retired for each different and bask the day.

The contented is said to person started erstwhile Lady de Mowbray was retired riding betwixt Westwoodside and Haxey – betwixt Gainsborough, Scunthorpe and Doncaster – erstwhile her silk riding hood was blown distant by the wind.

She is said to person been truthful amused to spot section workplace workers chasing it, she rewarded them onshore – connected information that the pursuit beryllium re-enacted each year.

According to the story, the idiosyncratic who caught the hood was excessively shy to attack her and handed it to a chap idiosyncratic to return.

It is said that Lady de Mowbray thanked the antheral who returned the hood and said helium had acted similar a lord. The idiosyncratic who caught it was labelled a fool.