Stormy weather is expected as hundreds of people get set to don their walking boots for an annual hiking competition.

The 35th Tour de Trigs walking contest starts on December 2, and when entries closed on November 21, a total of 115 three-man teams had entered.

Entries include 37 teams from Banbury and the surrounding villages and several from across the country including Colchester, Huddersfield, Southampton and Newcastle upon Tyne.

The event, organised by Banbury and district scouts, started 35 years ago and is held annually on the first weekend in December.

Trigs' spokesman Keith Hicks said: "Although the countryside around Banbury is not considered difficult walking terrain, the percentage of teams completing the 50 mile event has never exceeded 40 per cent.

"And in some years, it has been as low as 20 per cent. Winter weather conditions, glutinous ploughed fields and ill-defined footpaths stretch stamina of the most hardened walkers."

Entrants are required to walk 50 miles in 24 hours, visiting trig points across the countryside. The route is different each year and is released only 30 minutes before the start.