An Oxford man was unlucky to go out in the first round of the World Conker Championships.

Gerard McGuinness's conker cracked when he delivered his third blow against his opponent in Ashton, near Peterborough, on Sunday. Earlier, he had hit his opponent's conker, breaking its leather string. According to the rules both combatants had to pick new conkers out of a bag, without being allowed to inspect them first.

Mr McGuinness, of Cranmer Road, Cowley, Oxford, picked a light conker which couldn't stand up to the punishment.

"It's all to do with the size of the conker in my opinion," he said.

"I was a bit unlucky. He didn't have a shot at me - I seemed to do all the work."

The furthest he has got is the fourth round, four years ago. But the 39-year-old father-of-three vowed to return and do battle again next year.