Online presence for St Mary's Village Carnival, Eaton Bray, Edlesborough, Northall, Dagnall.
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Carnival 2004 - Fantasy

Worm Charming

2004 winnersOn Saturday 5th July 1980 local farmer's son, Tom Shufflebotham amazed a disbelieving world by charming a total of 511 worms out of the ground in half an hour at the first Worm Charming event in Willaston, Chesire to raise money for a School Fete.

23 years to the day after this astonishing feat St Mary’s Village Carnival had great fun recreating the event on the Green, one which looks set to become an annual event at the Carnival!

Worm Charming, Eaton Bray 2004

World Worm Charming Competition

The International Federation of Charming Worms and Allied Pastimes (IFCWAP) has held the World Worm Charming Competition at Willaston County Primary School, Willaston, Nantwich, Cheshire since 1980.

Their website includes pictures and results from this year's championship along with a Roll of Honour for the past 28 years.

The Rules

  1. Duration of competition to be 15 minutes
  2. Worms may not be dug from the ground. Vibrations only to be used.
  3. No drugs to be used! Water is considered to be a drug/stimulant.
  4. Any form of music may be used to charm the worms out of the earth.
  5. A garden fork of normal type may be stuck into the ground and vibrated by any manual means to encourage worms to the surface.
  6. Garden forks to be suitably covered to prevent possible injury when being transported to and from the competition. No accidents please!
  7. Each competitor to place his/her fork in allocated plot at 3.50. Forks to be kept in cars prior to that time.
  8. A piece of wood, smooth or notched may be used to strike or 'fiddle' the handle of the garden fork to assist vibration.
  9. Competitors who do not wish to handle worms may appoint a second to do so. The second shall be known as a 'Gillie'.
  10. Each competitor may collect worms from his/her own plot only.
  11. Worms to be handled carefully and collected in damp peat and placed in a suitable, named container provided by the organising committee.
  12. The competitor who 'charms' the most worms to be the winner. In the event of a tie, the winner to be decided by a further two minutes charming.
  13. Charmed worms to be released after the birds have gone to roost on the evening of the event.

It may help to know that the most successful method used so far is that of hand vibrating a four tyne garden fork inserted approximately 15 cms into the turf.

© IFCWAP 2002 If you wish to sing to the worms potentially good tunes are:

  • Good Vibrations,
  • Rhythm of the falling rain,
  • Flowers in the rain,
  • The green, green grass of home,
  • Handel’s Water Music,
  • Raindrops keep falling on my head etc.

Photo Galleries

For more pictures, please see the photo galleries.