In pictures: World Conker Championships

Fiona Thompson-Tur, 37; Kitty Thompson, 38; Mich Hall, 37; Helen Smallman, 37; all from St John's in York

"We're the Magnificent Seven minus three. We won last year's ladies' team event and want to hold on to our title.

"We had planned to practise but to be honest we're only just about to start. Ah well, it's all luck anyway, depends what conker you draw.

"Two of us are teachers. All this stuff about goggles for conkers at school is a symptom of a litigation society."