Ashbourne Shrovetide Football

The Shrovetide game ball is larger and heavier than a conventional football and, unlike its modern counterpart, is rarely kicked.

The hand-sewn, leather balls are filled with cork chippings (to help them float when they land in the River Henmore).

Balls are usually painted in a design relevant to the person turning up the ball - for example, in 2002 the ball was turned up by local man Simon Plumbly.

He was a member of the Thoroughbred Breeders Association and had a picture of one of his racehorses on the ball.

Prince Charles turns up a special ball

The balls are a real work of art and take about a month to paint.

If a ball is 'goaled', then it will become the proud possession of the person who has goaled it.

If no-one goals it, then the person named on the ball gets to take it home.

In 2003, Prince Charles received a special commemorative ball painted by Tim Baker. The ball used in the game was painted by Stuart Avery.