SHERSTON has hosted another bumper year of its premier ballistic vegetable festival with 150 people present to witness the latest Mangold Hurling.

Mangold wurzels, the root vegetables traditionally thrown at the event, were launched into the sky repeatedly as teams, single hurlers and children aimed to win their respective categories.

A total of 10 groups of three competed in the team event, which resembles a game of Pétanque played with the vegetables, seeing Not Great Expectations overcoming runners up Hurley Burleys for the overall win.

The furthest individual distance was thrown by Nick Blows and the children’s category was won by Team Tetbury, followed by The Page Boys in second place.

Acting Chairman of the Ancient Order of Sherston Mangold Hurlers Martin Rea said: “It’s a very old tradition going back over 100 years and has recently been returned into the public domain.

“We had some absolutely enormous mangolds last year which were almost too big to throw. This year’s were good because they were pretty aerodynamic!”

As well as the main event music was provided by the Dodington band and this year's Mangold Maid, Lizzi Bovenizer, was borne to the hurl on a cart of the vegetables prepared for the competition.