DRUNKS and bad weather could not stop marbles players in their stride at the annual World Championship.

Troublemakers at the Greyhound pub in Radford Road, Crawley, pounced when staff turned their backs, stealing trophies and medals for the competitors on Good Friday.

However, organisers managed to recoup all but one of the trophies to give to the rightful participants after a long day battling poor conditions.

Julia McCarthy Fox, who has helped organise the historic event since 1990, said: “People in the pub thought it was funny to mess around with the trophies.

“Trying to find the trophies is not what I would call funny.

“That, and the weather, was the only bad thing about the day, which was very interesting.”

The rain meant the marble players, some who had travelled from as far as Colorado in America, were playing into the dark hours.

Julia said they had to switch car headlights on so the participants could see what they were doing in the event, which has been running since the 1500s.

Eighteen teams of six players went head to head in the tournament, with German side Saxonia Globe Snippers stealing the title from defending champions Johnson Jets, who set the record for being runners up.

The British side have been second-best on 11 occasions.

Julia said: “The rain is your worst enemy in marbles, because they don’t do what they are supposed to do.

“Interestingly, it makes it more difficult for the good players as it brings them down to the novice level.”

She added that the quality of the tournament was still high despite the adverse conditions, but it is all in good spirits.

“The whole tournament is about tradition more than competition,” said the 53-year-old.

“People just like taking part in a living tradition – I think it brings out the best in people.”