A national betting company is planning to use a popular Cambridgeshire sporting event for a calendar they are producing for 2015.

Cambs Times: World Championship Pea Shooting, at Witcham, (l-r) alex HArrison, Anthony Bottazzi, Martin Skerrrett, and Tom Evans, from Chatteris.World Championship Pea Shooting, at Witcham, (l-r) alex HArrison, Anthony Bottazzi, Martin Skerrrett, and Tom Evans, from Chatteris. (Image: Archant)

Betfair is creating a calendar highlighting some of the UK’s best alternative sporting events - and they want to use Witchford’s pea shooting bonanza for July,

“The UK has some of the wildest and wackiest alternative events anywhere in the world and we think they should get the attention they deserve,” a Betfair spokesman said.

“The World Pea Shooting Championships have been chosen to feature on our calendar as our July entry. We’re planning on creating both a digital and a hard copy of the calendar in order to promote all 12 events.”

The World Pea Shooting Championships take place in Witcham on the 2nd Saturday in July every year.

It has been held annually since 1971 after it was conceived as a fund-raising idea for the village hall by the headmaster of the village school, John Tyson (1925–2002).

In 2003 the Parish Council funded the purchase of the John Tyson Shield on which the champion’s name is recorded each year.

The competition tends to be dominated by local entrants, though a small number travel from around the world, notably the USA, and American personnel from the nearby US airbases of RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath have competed. The day is combined with village fete featuring games and stalls.