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| Ashbourne Royal Shrovetide Football game begins | Ashbourne Royal Shrovetide Football game begins |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Play has got under way in a mass game of football that has been played in a Derbyshire town for centuries. | Play has got under way in a mass game of football that has been played in a Derbyshire town for centuries. |
| Ashbourne's Royal Shrovetide Football match involves two sides competing to move a ball to posts at opposing ends of the town. | Ashbourne's Royal Shrovetide Football match involves two sides competing to move a ball to posts at opposing ends of the town. |
| Play takes place across fields, streets, car parks and waterways each Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday. | Play takes place across fields, streets, car parks and waterways each Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday. |
| Thousands of people watch and take part in the event, which dates back to at least 1667. | Thousands of people watch and take part in the event, which dates back to at least 1667. |
| Each game begins with a guest of honour throwing the elaborately painted ball into the crowd. | Each game begins with a guest of honour throwing the elaborately painted ball into the crowd. |
| Prince Charles and the late Nottingham Forest and Derby County football manager Brian Clough are among the famous names chosen to "turn up" the ball in previous years. | Prince Charles and the late Nottingham Forest and Derby County football manager Brian Clough are among the famous names chosen to "turn up" the ball in previous years. |
| This year the honour fell to Dallas Burston, a former GP who became a businessman, and John Stubbs, a retired dairy farmer. | This year the honour fell to Dallas Burston, a former GP who became a businessman, and John Stubbs, a retired dairy farmer. |
| Shop windows around the town were again boarded up ahead of the famously hard-fought contest. | Shop windows around the town were again boarded up ahead of the famously hard-fought contest. |
| Players were also reminded they are not allowed to climb over parked cars or enter cemeteries, churchyards and memorial gardens. | Players were also reminded they are not allowed to climb over parked cars or enter cemeteries, churchyards and memorial gardens. |
| A goal was scored at about 20:20 GMT but in the finest traditions of Shrovetide, it took nearly and hour for it to be confirmed. Up'Ards in the lead. | |
| What is Royal Shrovetide Football? | What is Royal Shrovetide Football? |