CLACTON Rugby Club held their 12th annual beach rugby competition on Saturday.

The event was conceived back in 2005 and, as usual, it was played out on the sands of the Martello Beach.

The weather more or less behaved itself, with just the briefest of showers interrupting the sunny conditions before the late afternoon storms arrived.

Twenty-six teams took part over five different pitches, with Barnet Elizabethans, Burnham-on-Crouch, Colchester and Maldon providing their enthusiastic and much-appreciated support.

For the first time, Harwich and Dovercourt sent along five sides and there was also a first appearance from Upminster, with four teams.

All this, coupled with a sprinkling of sides from the home club itself, made for an excellent mix.

As is now customary, the team members were a complete mix, with youngsters of both sexes mixing with older mums and dads.

With several players and supporters coming back year after year, most have become used to the format of the day.

Each team plays at least four games against random opponents before they are then split into mini-groups of four.

This ensures everyone has at least a fifth game – effectively a semi-final – and possibly a sixth game – a final.

However, the main object is to have some fun involving a rugby ball and the beach and the competition winners are almost incidental.

Play got underway around 12.15pm and saw 52 group games that continued throughout the afternoon before a short break.

There was then a series of 19 semi-finals and finals, with play concluding around 4.30pm, and just in time to beat the torrential storm and downpour that hit the area.

Once again, the club are indebted to Tendring District Council and the Essex Rugby Union for their continued support, as well as to all the helpers behind the scenes.

These include those that spent the morning setting up the pitches, tents and gazebos, all the match referees organised by Matt Mahoney and finally to co-ordinator Janet White, who collated all the team entries prior to the day itself.