World Conker Champions 2018 crowned in Northamptonshire

Karen Holloway beat men's champion Stuart Campbell which she said was "pretty peculiar"

A woman has smashed her way through countless conkers to be crowned World Conker Champion 2018.

Women's champion Karen Holloway, 32, from Derby, beat men's champion Stuart Campbell, from Peterborough, to be declared the overall winner.

About 250 competitors braved wet, cold and blustery conditions to take part in the event at Southwick, Northamptonshire.

She said she was looking forward to getting dry and having dinner.

This year's overall winner Karen Holloway (left) canoed about 15 miles from Islip to Oundle on Saturday before taking part

Ms Holloway had taken part in the championship once before as a child and her training for this year had been to "practise for 20 minutes last night".

Some of the competitors enjoy dressing up

And they also travel from around the country to take part

More than 2,000 spectators were expected but organisers said the blustery weather meant fewer competitors lingered to watch the outcome after they were knocked out.

Organiser St John Burkett said the winners take home a trophy, but ultimately they compete "for the glory".

The event has been running since 1965 and raised about £415,000 for charities for the blind and partially-sighted.

Official rules

Chelsea Pensioner John Riley, then 85, was named the 2017 'Conker King'

Conkers are provided for each game and cannot be tampered with or reused

• There must be at least 20cm (8in) of lace between knuckle and nut

• Each player takes three alternate strikes at their opponent's conker, with a game decided once one of the conkers is smashed

• If a game lasts for more than five minutes it is halted and each player will be allowed a further nine strikes

• If neither conker is smashed then the winner will be the player who hit the nut the most times during this period