World PoohSticks Championships take place

An annual contest inspired by a game from AA Milne's classic Winnie the Pooh books has taken place once again.

The World PoohSticks Championships, which first launched in 1984, unfolded at Sandford Lock in Oxfordshire on Sunday.

The game sees each player drop a stick from the upstream side of a bridge and the stick which appears first at a designated point downstream is the winner.

The much-loved bear made his print debut 100 years ago.

PoohSticks was immortalised in The House at Pooh Corner and was played by Pooh, Christopher Robin, Tigger and Eeyore.

In reality, the game was invented by Milne for his son and has become a local tradition, with the championships growing to attract competitors of all ages from across the UK and around the world.

Speaking ahead of this year's event, organiser Richard Kirby, from the Rotary Club of Abingdon, said the championships had been a "joy to organise over the years", adding that it was "wonderful to see generations of families coming together for a day of fun".

He said "celebrating 100 years of Winnie the Pooh this year makes it even more special".

Ellie, who has been helping out the club, logged competitors from locations including the Netherlands, Belgium, Romania, Bulgaria and Taiwan.

She said one of the things that made the event special was "all the nationalities - it's how many people come together for it".

She added: "It's a really good opportunity, we've got a lot of stalls here and activities for people to do.

"It's a very fun event for everyone to enjoy."

Funds raised go towards local charities and Alzheimer's Society.