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Charlie Power, from Benson, with her Pooh bear at last year's event

HUNDREDS of people from around the world are expected to descend on an Oxfordshire village this weekend for the annual World Pooh Sticks Championships.

This year's championship, on the River Thames at Day's Lock, in Little Wittenham, will be held on Sunday, March 30 - and will mark the 25th anniversary of the event.

Inspired by the Winnie the Pooh children's stories, by AA Milne, teams from as far afield as the United States will be entering the event.

Organiser David Caswell said: "We're expecting quite a turn-out again this year. We've already got a team from America and I hope to secure another team from Canada before the day.

"In the past, we have had teams from Russia, the Czech Republic and even Australia. I'm always surprised at how competitive people get about the race - especially when they are winning. But we've never had a repeat winner."

Pooh sticks involves dropping sticks from a bridge into the river below, then racing to the other side to see which one comes out first.

The game has been adapted for the championships so that sticks have to complete a 20-yard course.

However, this year's event could be the last to be organised by the Sinodun Rotary Club, which is considering ending its involvement with the event.

Mr Caswell said: "For the older members, it's getting hard. There's another Rotary club we hope to pass it on to, but nothing has been confirmed yet."

As well as the big race, Mr Caswell said there would be other activities to celebrate the anniversary.

He said: "We will have various stalls and stands. We will also have the country's only 'teddyatrician' - who will be on hand to fix children's damaged teddy bears."

All money raised will go to charity, with 51 per cent of the proceeds going to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and the remaining 49 per cent going to Sinodun Rotary Club's charity account.

Mr Caswell added: "Money from past events has helped to build water wells in Tanzania and help the earthquake victims in Pakistan."

Entrance to the race costs £1.50 for individuals and £5 per team.

For more details, see www.pooh-sticks.com

6:57am Thursday 27th March 2008

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