Swamp soccer

More than 1,500 football fans swamped a Scottish town to enjoy the beautiful game in the mud. An international field of players descended upon Dunoon, Argyll, to take part in Scotland's second-ever Swamp Soccer tournament.

The craze has already swept Sweden, Iceland, Holland, Russia and Brazil. Forty-eight teams of mud-loving men and women - double the number of last year - are taking part in the six-a-side competition this weekend.

Swamp Soccer UK is open to anyone over the age of 17. Players compete on a wet bog and games are played in two 13-minute halves. The muddy game, which originated in Finland in 1998, has now grown to be a world championship event.

Stewart Miller, founder of the Scottish event, said the recent spate of wet weather had actually helped make the day more enjoyable. "It's one of the few outdoor sporting events where bad weather actually makes the conditions better," he said.

He said that around 500 players and substitutes had turned up from as far afield as Australia and New Zealand to participate in the two-day event. A further 1,000 people turned up during the day to watch the fun, he estimated. The finals will be held on Sunday.