World Conker Championships men’s winner cleared of cheating

The men’s World Conker Championships winner has been cleared of cheating after a steel chestnut was found in his pocket.

David Jakins, 82, known as “King Conker”, won the tournament in Southwick, Northamptonshire, last Sunday for the first time after competing since 1977.

But his long-awaited victory was marred when a cheating scandal erupted after a fake steel conker, painted brown, was later found in the veteran competitor’s pocket.

His opponent in the final Alastair Johnson-Ferguson told The Daily Telegraph he raised concerns after his conker “disintegrated in one hit, and that just doesn’t happen”.

The chairman of the organising committee said the steel conker was indistinguishable from a real one, with its weight the only giveaway.

Mr Jakins, who helped prepare other players’ conkers which are selected randomly from a sack, denied using the steel nut during the competition, saying he only had it with him for “humour value”.

He also refuted any suggestion he marked the strings to highlight harder nuts and organisers have now said he has been cleared of any wrongdoing.

A spokesperson for the World Conker Championships told the Guardian: “We have studied photos and videos of matches, interviewed judges and examined the chestnuts used by King Conker.

“The investigation has found no evidence that the steel conker was used. King Conker has been cleared of suspicion, and his name is being engraved on the trophy.”

Mr Jakins spoke of his relief at the outcome after a “stressful week”, telling the Daily Star: “We are gentlemen at the World Conker Championships and we don’t cheat. I’ve been playing and practising for decades. That’s how I won.

“I admit I had the steel conker in my pocket, but I didn’t play with it. I show it to people as a joke, but I won’t be bringing it again.”

Mr Jakins won the men’s competition but lost in the overall final to women’s champion Kelci Banschbach, originally from the United States, who only took up the game last year when she moved to Suffolk.

The championships have been held since 1965 and organisers say they have raised £420,000 for charity.