Conkers contest in need of nuts

The first Scottish championships will take place in Peebles

An appeal has been made for chestnuts ahead of the first Scottish Conker Championships in the Borders.

Organisers of the inaugural event - which will be staged in Peebles in two weeks' time - expect to need up to 500 conkers for the tournament.

At present they do not have any but collection bins have been put out to gather the necessary nuts.

The rules of the tournament mean that organisers must supply both the conker and the lace for every competitor.

The Tweed Valley Forest Festival has arranged for bins to be placed at the town's Eastgate Theatre.

However, it still needs more collectors to gather chestnuts to ensure the competition's success.

Age categories

The World Conker Championships held each year in Ashton, Northamptonshire, have attracted thousands of entries and spectators since the event's creation in 1965.

It is hoped the Scottish tournament in Peebles will become just as popular with traditional enthusiasts.

The Scottish Conker Championships on Tweed Green are split into four age categories - 18 and over, 12 to 17-year-olds, seven to 11-year-olds and a section where players of all ages can bring their own conker.

Entry forms for the Scottish Conker Championships, to be held on 28 October, are available from the Eastgate Theatre and also online at the festival website.