1. Bottle kicking, Leicestershire.Every Easter for the last 200 years, the villagers of Hallaton and neighbouring Medbourne have squared off across a field for the prize of a barrel (called a “bottle” here) of ale.Each team kicks a bottle towards its village, hoping to cross the far stream before their rivals and win all the booze for themselves. Apparently, while the gouging of eyes is forbidden, practically every other dirty fighting trick is allowed, and broken bones are a regular occurrence.
