Conker fans are going bonkers after a string of natural disasters left them without ammo.
Hundreds of nutty Brits had been gearing up for the World Conker Championships, but might now have to fly abroad to collect fighting conkers for the first time in 30 years.
The contest fell into trouble last week after it emerged more than 50,000 horse chestnut trees had been blighted with the grisly disease bleeding canker.
Thousands more shed their underdeveloped fruit early during the heatwave and an invasion of leaf-eating moths finished off many others, causing the biggest famine ever.
Now contenders for the championships fear they might be forced to cancel – unless they manage to import hundreds of crates into Britain in time.
Richard Howard, chairman of the annual World Conker Championships, said: “In 1976 they had to import them from Hungary to ensure there was enough for the championships, but I’m not sure if there’s time now.”
The contest – due to take place in Ashton, Northamptonshire, on October 15 – attracts thousands of competitors and spectators each year from across the globe and raises thousands of pounds for charity.
A spokesman from Bedgebury Pinetum, near Tunbridge Wells, said: “Moth larvae destroys the leaves and the trees look dead.
“Also, since the problem was first discovered in Wimbledon in 2002 it has spread all the way down to the south coast. If it continues at this rate there will be a catastrophic shortage of conkers in the future.
“And bleeding canker, which leaves legions that appear to bleed all over the trunk of the trees, can kill them off completely.
“There has been a huge surge in the disease of late and that, coupled with the hot weather, has caused the conkers to fall early.”
POSTED: 11/08/2006 14:50:06
Bookmark with:
Email to a friend: