HUNDREDS turned out to support what is thought to be the UK’s largest boules competition held in Sherston over the weekend.

The Sherston Boules and Carnival weekend saw 128 teams battle it out in a knockout competition held in the village on Saturday (16).

The event was 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, before inviting them to Sherston for a return leg.

In celebration of the anniversary, French teams made the trip across the Channel this year.

To begin the event, in a moving sign of respect for the terror attack that happened in Nice last week, the French teams visiting from Gien joined with Sherston residents in a boules players ‘alternative’ to a minute’s silence.

This involved players and residents clanging boules together in time with one another, creating an eerie, yet moving, atmosphere along the street.

The competition got underway soon after and, ten hours of play and seven rounds, the victorious team from Wales, the Piste Artistes, captained by Neil Dobbins, lifted the cup around 7pm, having beaten both the French teams by the quarter-finals.

The runners-up, the Bouledogs team, were from Minety and made the Welsh work for their title.

The Junior Boules was very well supported and was won by The Beach Boys, while winners of the hotly contested colts category was The Three Amigos.

The tournament follows a knock-out format however this year the plate competition was resurrected in memory of the event’s founder members Hugh Thompson-Glover and Colin Owen, who both passed away this year.

Speaking about this year’s event, the Sherston Boules chairman, James Pyle, said it was a “fantastic success”.

“We were blessed with perfect weather for the 400 players to enjoy the biggest one-day boules event in the UK,” he said.

“Sherston is indeed a unique village and the event is geared towards raising thousands of pounds for local groups.

“It is brilliantly supported by the residents running everything from a cricket match, skittles competition, logistics, and children’s entertainment to bars, teas and refreshments.

“The residents of Sherston are amazing and I need to thank so many; they should be very proud of themselves for putting on, supporting and running this event.

“Sherston is a hugely social village and this event is one of many that takes place each year making Sherston so unique.”

The team hope to pass the £6,000 fundraising mark this year. This is money that will go back into the community, supporting various charitable causes.