SHERSTON was transformed into a giant boulodrome over the weekend for a keenly fought, ten-hour tournament that has now been rolling for 29 years ever since the local vicar invited some French friends over for a leisurely game of boules.

At the crack-of-dawn on Saturday eight-and-a-half tons of sand was dumped onto the traditional village high street before around 40 bleary-eyed volunteers raked it into a series of courts – or pistes, as the French call then.

The first boule was rolled in earnest at precisely 9.30am as 128 teams-of-three – 384 competitors in all – spent the entire day and early evening fiercely battling for supremacy.

Teams from all over the country – from Wales and across the South West to London and Derbyshire – competed in the annual event.

There were no shortage of surprises when last year’s winners, and for many this year’s favourites, the Piste Artists from Wales were knocked out in the fourth round to Les Miseraboules.

As the competition drew to a dramatic conclusion there were cheers from hundreds of spectators as Un Coq et Deux Boules (correct) eventually triumphed to lift the coveted Sherston Boules Trophy.

The team was captained by Sherston’s Paul Kirkham, of Sandpits Lane, although they did manage to acquire the services of a top notch Frenchman who has in all likelihood been playing boules since he was out of his nappies.

Chairman of the Sherston Boules & Carnival, estate agent James Pyle said: “It was a really great tournament. Sherston Boules is an international event with a lot of top and very talented players.”

Mr Pyle was having a drink in the Rattlebone Arms after last year’s event when he became aware that the organisers were stepping down and new blood was required to keep the tournament rolling. “Within an hour I was the new chairman,” he said.

Sherston adopts a French feel for the event – from food and drink to a code of dress - with plenty joie de vivre in evidence.

The boules tournament, which followed the Rev Hugh Thomson Glover’s invitation in France, merged with the Sherston Carnival in 1993 to become a long weekend of fun, games and activities.

Sunday’s tug-of-war tournament has also become a huge crowd puller and this year The Vine Tree at Norton won back the crown they lost last year when they out-tugged a team from the Rattlebone Arms.

Mr Pyle added: “It was a brilliant weekend. So many people helped with the organisation – around 100 to 150 came together to make it all work.”

Around £7,000 was also raised during the proceedings for a string of local groups and charities.