Marbles world championships held at Sussex pub

Lisa Hodgson of the Rolling Drunks celebrates after taking a shot

Teams from all across the globe have gathered at a Sussex pub for the World Marbles Championships.

The Greyhound pub in Tinsley Green, near Crawley, is hosting 15 teams of six players from as far afield as the US, Algeria and Germany.

The Good Friday competition has been held there since 1932 and follows in the tradition of the game dating back to the 16th Century.

It was once one of the few sports that could be played during Lent.

The object of the game is to knock 25 out of 49 "target marbles" out of the ring before your opposing team

The village is reputed to be the scene of an epic marbles battle in Elizabethan times over the hand of a local maiden

The tournament's organiser Julia McCarthy-Fox said: "People come back every year because they like being part of traditional things and it's at a pub, so what's not to like?

"There is no bar as to who can play and who can't, there is no benefit to being older, younger, male or female, it's completely mixed.

"There aren't many sports like that with an even playing field so people can play in a family team, work team or any combination.

"And it's a knockout competition so it doesn't matter if they are good or bad as they will sift themselves out as the tournament progresses," she said.

"If you are playing it well however, there is quite a high skill level. It's like snooker without a cue, it's a very similar skill to get the spin on the marble.

"Sometimes it can get a bit rowdy by the end of the day but all in good fun."

This year's event is dedicated to Ian Gardner who played in the Black Dog team for 37 years

Six-time winners 1st MC Erzgebirge from Germany were hoping to win back the title after being knocked out in the semi-finals in 2016

The game is played between two teams of six players in a ring with a diameter of six feet