At the World's Hen Championships the birds had trouble finding the finish line.

John Barry, event compere and organiser said: "I've been here for twenty years now running the hen racing, since 1992, and I can definitely say apart from the final, that is definitely the worst set of hens I have ever seen in my life.

"Shocking, absolutely shocking, the owners need to go back and have another word with themselves!"

The Barley Mow Pub in Bonsall, the Peak District, has hosted the championships since 1991, after the pub's former landlord discovered that villages in the local area would compete against each other to race hens in the early 20th century.

Hens compete across several heats before the grand final at the end of the day.

There are few rules, but hens must have both clawed feet on the starting line and there's no pecking allowed.

Eventually, the final was won by Brownie and owner Maizy McFarlane