GAME fowl enthusiasts flocked to Ramsbottom on New Year's Day for a proud annual tradition in its 175th year.

A total of 79 exhibitors from across the country turned out to the historic Holcombe Ye Olde Gamecock Show to exhibit their birds.

The display of rare Old English Game fowl is a tradition which has been upheld by Holcombe Old English Game Fowl Club since 1843. Once again the show was staged at the Royal British Legion club in Central Street.

The birds were inspected by judge Dick Brearey, and a total of six prizewinners came away with a feather in their caps.

Russell Taylor, the club's honorary secretary, said: "The judges had a hard job arriving at their decision because the standard of this year's competition was high, and we had more entries than last year.

"This is a strong local tradition. Holcombe has always been associated with game fowl and the hunt — when cock fighting was seen as a sport.

"When I first started as secretary in the late 70s, early 80s, the show was held at The Old Dun Horse Hotel, which was licensed for the occasion. Everyone used to come piling into the pub because it was open on New Year's Day."

The gamecock show moved to the Royal British Legion venue in 2009 after Thwaites closed the pub to make way for apartments.

Mr Taylor continued: "We want to keep the breed of Old English Game fowl going. It is probably the nearest you have got to the national fowl. If it were not for events like ours, these birds would slowly become extinct."

The show has its origins in the ancient tradition of cock fighting, a practice that was made illegal in England in 1849.

"In 1853 the Bury Times reported that police had been called to prevent a cock fight in Holcombe in spring time that year", Mr Taylor said, "Clearly it took a while to die away."

Enthusiasts have kept the tradition cooking by meeting to trade birds and judge them on their fitness to fight on New Year's Day. Judge Dick Brearey inspected the birds' feathers, shape and balance.

Bury Times:

Prizes were given in six categories, including local class, cocks, stags, hens and pullets, with one lucky breeder coming out top of the pecking order, winning the Mary Shaw Cup for the best bird in show.

After judging took place, the show was opened to the public at 1pm before the prizes were distributed later in the afternoon.

This year exhibitors travelled from as far afield as Yorkshire, Chesterfield and Derby to attend.

The results were as follows:

Cock Class for the Oxford Centenary Cup: Michael Durkin, from Hoghton

Stag Class for the Millie Whittaker Rosebowl: Michael Durkin, from Hoghton

Hen Class for the Sam Jackson Cup: Michael Durkin, from Hoghton

Pullet Class for the Harold Haworth Cup: Todd Fletcher, from Chesterfield

Local Class for the Tom Randle Haworth Trophy: Russell Taylor, from Bury

The Mary Shaw Cup for the prestigious prize of best bird in show was won by Michael Durkin, from Hoghton