Never mind the Masters. Forget the Grand National. The very best of sport at this time of year is to be found in Maryland eateries and pubs in Peterlee.

Here, we take a look at some of the more unusual Easter sporting endeavours.

1)

While the jockeys of Aintree were boiling down to make weight this weekend, Matt Stonie was smashing the Peeps-eating world record in Maryland. Stonie downed more than 255 of the chick-shaped marshmallows, the Easter candy of choice in the United States, in five minutes. Stonie later tweeted: “Whats my job? Eating cute fluffy sugar covered marshmallows #PEEPS.

2)

(Steve Mitchell/Empics)
(Steve Mitchell/Empics)

In the 17th century, Easter was a particularly bad time to be a cock. Among the many tortuous pastimes it was put through, such as cock-fighting and cock-throwing, was the Devon sport of cock-kibbit. In it, the cock was placed in an earthenware pot and cudgels were thrown it at until it broke and the cock escaped. It was then chased and whoever caught it got to share it with the successful cudgel-thrower.

3)

Uppies and Downies, a form of medieval football, has been played on Good Friday in Workington for hundreds of years. Players, divided by where they live, have to get a ball into an opponents’ goal across an area incorporating much of the town centre. It can take hours and feature hundreds of players. Deaths and serious injuries have never stopped it but the proposed building of a new Tesco Extra smack-bang in the middle of its ‘pitch’ briefly put its future in doubt in 2010.

4)

(PA)
(PA)

The World Egg Jarping Championships take place every Easter in the Hearts of Oak pub in Peterlee. Competitors each select a boiled egg which are bashed together until one of them cracks. Strict rules are in place to ensure no cheating which can include dipping eggs in beer, painting them with nail varnish or holding them against radiators. Two-time egg jarping world champion Jack Smedley confirmed: “There isn’t any special skill involved.”

5)

(Gareth Fuller/PA)
(Gareth Fuller/PA)

The sport of marbles has a particular affinity with Easter and the World Marbles Championship has been held each Good Friday in Tinsley Green, West Sussex, for hundreds of years. Celebrity competitors have included Laurel and Hardy and Lofty from Eastenders. The championship is said to have started in the 17th century when two farm-hands took to marbles to win the hand of a milk-maiden called Joan.