Smashing good fun in Black Country conker competition

But the playground favourite was dealt a blow when health and safety rules saw many schools ban the pastime - or bring in goggles to reduce the risk of injury or allergy.

But a Black Country pub is now doing its best to restore the tradition and hosted a conker competition over the weekend.

The Pretty Bricks in John Street, Walsall, saw almost a dozen people sign up to take part.

Punters at the pub said children were losing out on an enjoyable part of history, which is fighting against the modern era of TVs and computers.

Chris Smith, a coil scheduler by trade of Rushall Manor Road, Walsall, was crowned winner of the competition after managing to knock other competitors' conkers off their string.

"I am a 56-year-old man who works for a living and has all the usual pressures of life. It is nice to return to the childhood days," he said.

"There is an over-reaction with health and safety which has taken a sense of fun out of everything. We used to play all sorts of games when we were at school but a lot of the old games have gone."

Licensee Lucy Rushton said they were pleased to have revived the game for the evening and insisted it should not be banned.

"It is health and safety gone mad that is the problem, these days too many children don't know how to play the old games," she said.

Baker Mark Woods, aged 52, of Mellish Road, Walsall, added: "I think that kids are missing out. As a kid we would go conker hunting and look for the best shape. You would then put it in the oven overnight so it was really hard.

"There was a conker competition every lunchtime, it was a really big part of our school life. You could learn patience and co-ordination as it was quite a small target.

"Kids are missing out on fresh air, exercise and losing a part of our heritage. It is an interactive sport and there was the pride of having a conker that was a five, six or tenner - the amount of times it won."

Ken Green, 67, of Tividale, said although there was a place for the likes of TVs and computer games it was a shame for old-fashioned games to face being lost.

"We used to go and climb the trees collecting them, kids aren't allowed to do that nowadays," he said. "It was part of the fun looking for the conker tree.

"We are losing lots of games from our history. We need technology but some things are missing out now."

One of the younger generation to play was 20-year-old water company worker James Edwards from Coalpool.

He said: "When I was at primary school we used to do it as a laugh. But then they wouldn't let us play it at secondary school.

"It is an old game, everyone used to play it back in the day but now it is frowned upon.

"It is a good crack and is something anyone can have a go at."

Maxine Johnson, 48, of Walsall and who works in banking, said: "It is a good to play conkers, it is something different and is that time of year. It is interacting and playing games.

"It was fun and it took me back, it was easy to get into.

"I remember conkers when I was younger and we used to live opposite a park.

"I think there is too much watching the TV and playing computer games these days.

Gill Gibbs also backed the revival of conkers. The 56-year-old of Hereford Street, Walsall, said: "It is brilliant to play and is a tradition for this time of the year. It gets rid of any pent up aggression and is a way of releasing pressure.

"They can all get together and have a competition. It is an activity a lot of people can get involved in."