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Hundreds gather to watch river football match

The tradition of the River Windrush football match began more than 100 years ago

Hundreds of people gathered to watch the annual August bank holiday tradition of teams playing football matches in a shallow river.

The River Windrush football match, hosted by Bourton Rovers Football Club in Bourton-on-the-Water in Gloucestershire, involves players competing in ankle-deep water.

Those who were brave enough to stand on the edge of the riverbank came equipped with waterproof jackets and umbrellas to stay dry while the players contested the game, which finished 3-3.

The tradition is said to have started more than 100 years ago when drinkers in a riverside pub got bored and decided to stage an impromptu match in the water.

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News imagePA Media Men tackling each other while playing a football game in a shallow river. There is a lot of water splashing up in the air as they move.PA Media
News imagePA Media Men tackling each other while playing a football game in a shallow river. There is a lot of water splashing up in the air as they move.PA Media

The players were, as ever, the ones who ended up wettest of all despite the usual attempts to splash river water onto the crowds.

Neither team was able to get a winner, with the match finishing as a draw.

News imagePA Media A group of men playing football in a shallow river. Several are tackling each other in front of the goal while spectators watch on from the bank of the river.PA Media
News imagePA Media A river in Bourton-on-the-Water. A goalpost has been set up for a football match in the water. Several players are in the river and splashes of water can be seen in the air as they move. The riverbank is lined with spectators on both sides.PA Media

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