Workington’s mass no rules football game Uppies & Downies has hit the international headlines – with a feature in the New York Times.
The traditional game, which dates back hundreds of years, takes place annually on three nights – Good Friday, Easter Tuesday and the following Saturday.
It has no organisers and is a gathering in the town.
Uppies have to get the specially made leather ball to the gates of Workington Hall – also known as Curwen Castle – and the Downies to Workington Harbour.
This year, Uppies secured a whitewash. On Good Friday, Andy Hunter hailed the ball, on Easter Tuesday it was the turn of Willow Newman-Kelly, 11, with her dad Declan Newman. She is thought to be the youngest person to hail the ball and only the second female.
And on Easter Saturday, Sam Williamson fulfilled a 20-year dream when he hailed the ball.
There to watch was Rob Tanner, who writes for the New York Times and The Athletic.
His feature appears on the New York Times and Athletic websites.
It was one of the top performing stories last week with 100,000 views.
He spoke to Cumbria Crack ahead of arriving in the town. He said he was staying in the Travelodge and we warned him not to park in the car park.
Rob spoke to long-time players Elvin Jarvis, David Shepherd, known as Nutty and Nathan Askew for the New York Times feature.
See the Uppies & Downies Hailers Hall of Fame here
