Organisers of the World Conker Championships have warned that this year's event may be cancelled for the first time in its history due to the extreme summer heatwave. The competition, scheduled for 12 October in Southwick, Northamptonshire, typically attracts up to 2,500 fans and 256 players, but the conkers are unusually small this year, raising concerns they may split when holes are drilled for the laces.
The UK experienced its hottest summer on record in 2025, with a mean temperature of 16.10°C from June to August, 1.51°C above the long-term average. Back-to-back heatwaves caused droughts and wildfires, leading trees to shed conkers prematurely before they reached full size. Organiser Charles Whalley described it as a 'worrying time,' noting that large, fresh conkers are essential for the tournament.
Despite the challenges, Whalley said the risk of cancellation remains 'small,' with a final decision expected within 10 days. Organisers have resorted to freezing fallen conkers or storing them in buckets of water to preserve them, though any frozen conkers will be fully defrosted before use to avoid a repeat of last year's 'steel conker' cheating scandal.
The 2024 championships were marred by controversy when 83-year-old David Jakins, known as 'King Conker,' was accused of using a steel conker to defeat opponents. He was later cleared of cheating. The event has raised over £420,000 for the visually impaired since its inception in 1965.
