A SPOT of Easter egg-jarping yesterday helped to lift the gloom imposed on a farming community by the foot-and-mouth crisis

More than 40 people entered the competition, which has been held at the Cross Keys pub, at Eastgate, in Weardale, County Durham, for the past four years.

But it was a man from Hayes in Middlesex - retired mechanic John Mullaney - who "eggscelled" to win the trophy for top jarper.

John, who was spending Easter with relatives in the dale, beat off tough local opposition by making sure that the point of his hard-boiled egg hit his opponents' in the perfect spot, shattering the shell.

The competition involves contestants shattering their opponents egg shells by banging them together - a spring version of conkers.

"I'd never even heard of egg-jarping before this," said John, who also picked up a chocolate egg donated by Morrison's supermarket, of Bishop Auckland.

"It's been a fantastic day. We've heard so much about foot-and- mouth down south. It's nice to see that people can still turn out in the countryside to enjoy themselves."

The event was organised by the Sunday Club at the Cross Keys, which is also responsible for pork pie and chocolate cake eating, and hay-sniffing, competitions.

Veteran club member Jack Gray, of Stanhope, said: "It's grand to see such traditions as egg-jarping coming back. I can remember it well as a lad. It was part of the Easter weekend in many villages."