ENGLAND’S age-old sporting customs show little sign of losing their popularity in the 21st century - if Killington Sports is anything to go by.

The intimate, but arguably little known sports meeting, attracted a healthy and happy crowd last night (Thursday May 30).

The ‘after work’ event started at 6pm and by sun down the fields were still ringing with children’s laughter.

School sports day favourites like the sack race took place just yards from rural headliners like Cumberland and Westmorland Wrestling and fell racing.

Modern incarnations like tyre-rolling over 100 yards and pillow-fighting kept spectators on the sidelines entertained.

Killington Sports may be one of Cumbria’s best kept secrets, but for the close-knit farming and fell running community around the far western Dales of Sedbergh, it’s a keenly-anticipated annual get together.

With the sun-lit Howgills as the glorious backdrop, the entertainments took place on a pleasant rise of land at Beckside Farm, Killington.

One hundred yards of a farmer’s fields became a marked out ‘race track,’ and a small wrestling circle was the epicentre of the action.

Have-a-go Mums and Dads and children of all ages tried their hands (and feet) at a range of sports old and new.

From wrestling to tug-o-war and potato race drills - winning tickets and trophies were given out, but for many the taking part was all that mattered.

A series of organised fell races attracted strong fields of runners from athletics clubs in Kendal and Lancashire, among others.

Popular sideshows included horseshoe throwing, a coconut shy, pitch penny and the traditional Northern game of Quoits - the throwing of rings, in a sport where the rules date back 132 years.

The loudest laughs of the night was reserved for the egg throwing where participants lined up opposite their partners and had to catch their incoming egg.

With the inevitable 'smashing' consequences...