This is the incredible moment that thousands of people scrambled for the first touch of the ball in this year’s Ashbourne Royal Shrovetide game.
At just after 2pm, Andrew Lemon started the historic game by turning up the ball from the brick plinth in the town’s Shaw Croft Car Park.
Thousands of people – split into two teams, the Up’ards and Down’ards – had gathered for the event, which last year was won 1-0 by the Down’ards.
And there was certainly a scramble for the ball as these videos by Dave Layzell (above) and Alex Wood (below) show.
The game is due to finish at 10pm tonight, however the game will end once a goal is scored after 5.30pm. It will restart at 2pm on Ash Wednesday.
