A TOWN has hosted its first game in a series of events inspired by the Netflix smash hit show Squid Game.

Dan Armstrong, who runs community group Spotted Crawley, hosted the first challenge on Sunday at a secret location in the town.

The game for week one was giant Jenga and 24 players, teamed up in pairs, competed against each other to build their towers in the allotted time and without it falling.

Only half of the players made it through to the second round, which will take place on Sunday.

Dan said: “The tension was unbelievable. Never has a game of Jenga felt so intense.

The event was streamed live on the Spotted Crawley Facebook page and more than 60,000 people tuned in to watch.

Players had pay £20 to enter, with half of the money going to a Christmas gift appeal for disadvantaged families, and the other half to the prize pool.

Dan said: “We wanted to raise awareness of our Christmas appeal, while also showing people you can still play children’s games without the fear of violence.”

The hit Korean drama Squid Game, written and directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, sees people who are in dire financial straits sent a mysterious invitation to join a game which could win them 45.6 billion South Korean won (around £28 million).

To win the money the 456 contestants must play traditional children’s games such as red light, green light, with the price for failure being death.

It is Netflix’s first Korean programme to become the most popular series in the US and follows the company’s efforts to increase its offering of international shows.

The show has been watched 142 million households around the world, with the streaming giant calling the programme “our biggest TV show ever”.

The streaming giant also said the number of its subscribers around the world grew to 214 million during the last quarter after adding an additional 4.4 million customers.

To donate to Spotted Crawley’s Christmas appeal, visit https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/SpottedChristmasappeal

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