THE largest boules competition in the country returns to north Wiltshire this weekend.

The Sherston Boules and Carnival weekend will welcome 128 teams to compete in a knockout competition held in the village on Saturday (16).

The event is celebrating its 30th anniversary, after it was originally started by the village’s vicar, who took on a French team at a game of Boules in Gien, Malmesbury’s twinned town.

The vicar invited them for a return leg to be held at Sherston and thirty years later the event is more popular than ever.

The village is filled with stalls, French music, bars and children’s entertainment, with money being raised through the competition and raffles for a variety of local good causes.

James Pyle is chairman of the Sherston Boules and Carnival.

He said: “We normally raise around £8,000 from the event so are hoping to do the same this year.

“We have invited two teams from France this year and have a team coming from Wales so it will have an international flavour.

“It’s a great event for all the family.”

There will be celebrations going on throughout the weekend in Sherston, details of which can be found at sherston.net or by searching Sherston Boules and Carnival on Facebook.