Cheating alleged after men’s world conker champion found with steel chestnut

The World Conker Championships is investigating cheating allegations after the men’s winner was found to have a steel chestnut in his pocket.

David Jakins won the annual title in Southwick, Northamptonshire, on Sunday for the first time after competing since 1977.

But the 82-year-old was found to have a metal replica in his pocket when he was searched by organisers after his victory.

The retired engineer has denied using the metal variety in the tournament.

Jakins was responsible for drilling and inserting strings into other competitors’ chestnuts as the competition’s top judge, known as the “King Conker”.

Alastair Johnson-Ferguson, who lost in the men’s final against Jakins, said he suspected “foul play”, the Telegraph reported.

The 23-year-old said: “My conker disintegrated in one hit, and that just doesn’t happen … I’m suspicious of foul play and have expressed my surprise to organisers.”

Kelci Banschbach, 34, from Indianapolis, defeated the men’s champion in the grand final to become the first American to win the competition. More than 200 people took part.

Jakins said: “I was found with the steel conker in my pocket, but I only carry [it] around with me for humour value and I did not use it during the event.

“Yes, I did help prepare the conkers before the tournament. But this isn’t cheating or a fix, and I didn’t mark the strings.”

St John Burkett, a spokesperson for the World Conker Championships, said the cheating claims were being investigated.

“Allegations of foul play have been received that somehow King Conker swapped his real conker for the metal one later found in his pocket.

“Players select conkers from a sack before each round.

“There are also suggestions that King Conker had marked the strings of harder nuts. We can confirm he was involved in drilling and lacing the nuts before the event.

More than 2,000 conkers had been prepared prior to the event.