Brutal footage of Atherstone Ball Game 2023 has gone viral. It shows a scrum of competitors around the doorway to the William Hill betting shop as the Atherstone Ball Game reached its closing minutes.
Crowd-surfing people hurl themselves towards a group of men protecting the ball, which is being held in the doorway of the shop front. Punches and digs are repeatedly thrown at the would-be contenders by those protecting those who are clinging onto the ball.
Then, out of nowhere, people swing down from the roof area towards the front of the shop, desperately trying to get into the melee to grab the ball. At one point, part of the 'William Hill' signage is ripped off.
READ MORE: Atherstone Ball Game winner describes historic event as hardest game in the world
But this brazen attempt, and those of others, are thwarted, as the ball remains in the mouth of the shop door.
Eventually, Kieran Marshall emerged as the victor of the 823rd game, having clung onto the ball..
Footage posted on Twitter has been viewed more than two million times already.
It is not the first time that the world's eyes have been on the brutal side of the game but organisers have always stressed that the event follows traditions and contains key family elements, including sweets being thrown out for children and they are also given the chance to kick the ball before the game starts.
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