Hundreds of competitors took part in the 45th ‘World Worm Charming Championships” in Willaston yesterday, writes Jonathan White.
The event combined with Willaston Primary Academy’s summer fete and took place in the school grounds on Derwent Close.
The Championship worming started after an inspection of the plots by the International Federation of Charming Worms and Allied Pastimes (IFCWAP).
Participants had 30 minutes to charm and collect as many worms as possible from their 3×3 metre plot.
There were ‘traditional’ plots for two adults and two children and ‘team’ plots for teams who wished to change their pairings throughout the charming period.
Techniques to agitate the soil included the traditional method of ‘twanging’ (putting a garden fork into an area of grass and rocking it backwards and forwards), as well as methods like hopping on the spot, bouncing a football, whacking tennis racquets, doing cartwheels, and jumping on a pogo stick!
Musical instruments used to entice the worms included a tambourine, saxophone, and a banjolele.
Chris White dressed as an earthworm and sang and performed on his banjolele to entice worms with ‘There’s a Worm at the Bottom of My Garden’, ‘Earth Song’, ‘Whispering Grass’ and ‘You Raise Me Up’.
Visitors also enjoyed charity and trade stalls, a tombola, coconut shy, hook-a-duck, beat the keeper, inflatable slide, bouncy castle, face painting, a fairground ride and numerous food and drink outlets. Charities represented included Cystic Fibrosis Trust and The Friends of Willaston School Association – FWSA PTA.
Talented pupils from various year groups at Willaston Primary Academy also performed live music in the arena to an appreciative audience.
The Championship trophy for Most Worms was won by the Godfrey family with two American friends (Mary and Richard) from California, in plot 56, with an impressive 195 worms.
All the worms are released after the birds have gone to roost on the evening of the event.
There was ample international media coverage with a Getty Images press photographer, a Reuters news agency videographer and two popular YouTubers Jack Pembrook and The Real Story all covering the event.
The World Worm Charming Championship was founded as a community project to raise funds for the school by Gordon Farr, former headteacher of Willaston Primary School, John Bailey (former deputy headteacher) and Mike Forster (former Willaston Village Police officer).
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