Organisers of the Sherston Mangold Hurl are still searching for hundreds of root vegetables to use ahead of next week’s event.

They say the traditional event, which dates back to the mid-19th century and is scheduled for October 7, would have to be postponed or cancelled if they were unable to find a good mangold crop.

Sherston residents organising the event have been searching for vegetables for the past few months.

Although they have had trouble finding vegetables before, their search has been harder this year, possibly due to the bad weather or because people have stopped growing mangolds. Last year they found a supply of mangolds in Wotton-under-Edge in Gloucestershire.

Paul Orminston, keeper of the challenge, said he should know whether the event was going ahead in the next couple of days. He said they had to have mangolds, as turnips or swedes were unsuitable.

He said: “It’s partly the shape, they all have stalks at the top and that’s what they get hold of when they throw them.

“It’s quite a mad day. It will be a shame not to hold it but, if not, there’s always next year.”