Hot summer causes headache for conker contest

Organisers of next month's World Conker Championships hope to have avoided cancelling it altogether following an appeal for help, after the hot, dry summer caused conkers to drop from their trees early.

Suitable nuts have had to be sourced nationwide for the Northamptonshire-based contest after many local ones fell long before autumn arrived.

Organiser Charles Whalley feared the lack of conkers could have cancelled the event, but he was now confident it would take place after receiving "emails from around the country" from people offering to supply them.

"Those messages are just fantastic to receive. Everybody wants the championships to go ahead and now I'm 99.9% certain they will," he said.

The competition takes place every October in Southwick, near Oundle, and since 1965 has raised more than £420,000 for charities which support the visually impaired.

Last year it faced controversy after accusations of cheating - which were later rebuffed - but it only helped to boost publicity, with a "ridiculous" number of entrants due to take part this year.

The Met Office confirmed the summer of 2025 was officially the hottest on record for the UK - in line with evidence that summers are getting hotter and drier because of climate change.

Parts of Northamptonshire went many days without rain this summer, with trees showing signs of autumn long before it officially arrived and conkers dropping to the ground before reaching full-size.

Despite fears over this year's crop, Mr Whalley said he was positive the event would not be axed, with organisers having taken "preventative measures" to preserve what has fallen.

"We've frozen 1,000 or so of them [conkers] and I think the next step is to put them in buckets of water and keep them covered in a cool, dry place," he said.

"Hopefully then, there will be conkers left to pick in a week or two's time."

Mr Whalley said the conkers used this year would be smaller than average, but it would not affect people's enjoyment.

"We've got a lovely day planned for everybody - some great food stalls and fantastic entertainment, and I think we're going to be chock-a-block full on both the men's and junior's sides."

The World Conker Championships are due to take place at the Shuckburgh Arms on 12 October, from 09:30 until 16:00 BST.