THE very best pétanque players in England will descend on Ferndown this month for a prestigious competition.

The Pétanque England Championships will take place on grounds behind Ferndown Upper School and the leisure centre in Cherry Grove between May 27 and 29.

Competitors will come from across the country to compete in the National Singles Competition on May 27, National Doubles on May 28 and the National Mixed Doubles on the final day.

“We are thrilled to bring a national event to Ferndown and the members of Parley Pétanque Club are delighted to be acting as hosts,” said a Pétanque England spokesperson.

Play will get underway at around 9.30am each day, with the finals for each competition will played at around 6.30pm each evening.

Pétanque, pronounced ‘pet onk’ and often called ‘boule’, has become popular in England in recent years and is played in more than 70 countries worldwide.

During this month’s championships, spectators will be welcome, with someone on hand to explain the game to those who have never played or watched it before.

There will also be an opportunity to try the game in an area separate from the main arena.

“We look forward to welcoming some of the best players in England from as far away as North Yorkshire, Manchester, London and Kent including of course members of the current international squads that represented us so well in the recent world championships in Spain,” the spokesperson added.

“There will be lots of local interest, particularly from local clubs, including Parley PC, who are hosting the event.”

How do you play pétanque?

Often known as boule, pétanque sees players aim to score points by throwing or rolling ‘boules’ closer to a small target ball (often called a jack) than opponents.

Players throwing must stand still.

Opponents’ boules can be knocked out of the way as part of the game, in a bid to install the throwers’ boules nearest the jack.

Pétanque dates back to ancient Greece and Egypt, but the common form of the game came to prominence in the early 20th century in France.