Northamptonshire's first charity straw bale pushing event is scheduled to take place next month

The event sees teams of four pushing full-size straw bales by hand around an obstacle course set in a field near Ashby Manor House in Northamptonshire.

The organisers want to raise funds for three local charities through the event, including The Air Ambulance Service, Reach for Health, and Home-Strat Daventry and South Northants.

Lucinda Mackay, a local artist and organising team member, said: “It gets the farming community and the non-farming community all together. It's a bit of fun outside with a good old-fashioned sort of entertainment.

“I hope that it will be a really fun evening where families hang out together. A good, honest, and rural family event. At the end of the day, we raise money for charity.”

A local husband and wife, David and Helen Hesketh, came up with the concept for the event in Ashby St Ledgers after attending the Crantock Bale Push event in Cornwall.

“Recently, because we lost our pub, we've kind of lost the central focus of the village.

“It was really David’s idea that the village should come together and have a big fundraiser for local charities, but also have a lot of fun for the wider community,” said Lucinda.

The teams of four can compete in three different categories: a ladies category, an open category, and the ‘legend’ category, in which the ages of the team members combined have to be over 180 years old. People have to be over the age of 16 to join the competition.

Each team member will receive a complimentary drink upon payment of £40 for their team's entry into the competition.

Ashby St Ledgers Bale Push is set to take place on Friday, September 6, from 5pm until 10.30pm.

“We want lots of people to come, and we want a few more teams to register. I know that this year is hard being the first year, but hopefully, it's going to be an annual event.

“Thank you to all the local businesses that have supported us so far,” said Lucinda.