Churchmen on the ball at festival

Three senior church figures have helped launch a music festival by dashing across Gloucester Cathedral green hitting a ball with a stick.

The two deans and a vice-dean took part in a round of Bandyball to kick-start the Three Choirs Festival.

Bandyball is a little-known medieval sport which is depicted in the Great East Window of Gloucester Cathedral.

One of the three competitors, Nick Bury, Dean of Gloucester, said: "It's all a bit of fun."

Racing against him were Michael Taviner, Dean of Hereford and Alvin Pettersen, Vice-Dean of Worcester.

Third year

The three, dressed in medieval costumes, ran about 400 metres between two trees on the cathedral green.

The winner, Mr Pettersen, received a reproduction of the window showing a figure playing the game.

It is the third year that deans from the three cathedrals have held a contest at the start of the festival.

Last year there was a game of croquet at Hereford and in 2002, they took part in a dragon boat race on the River Severn in Worcester.

The Three Choirs Festival is an eight-day festival of music.