Uppies and Downies tradition to return this weekend

Harry Daglish, 9, will throw the Uppies and Downies ball off in the second game of the series next week (Easter Tuesday) - continuing a tradition that grandad Robert Daglish said has lasted for more than 300 years.

Harry, who goes to Kirkland Academy told the Times and Star that he was 'really excited' to be throwing the ball off to kick off the game.

Although Harry did throw a special charity ball off last year to it's winner when the game was cancelled- this will be his first proper chance the young uppie has to follow in the family footsteps.

HAPPY: Harry with the Easter Tuesday ball

His grandad, Robert Daglish said: "We used to take him in our arms, when I was eight I started throwing the ball off, when my son Robert( Harry's dad) was eight he threw the ball off and last year when Harry was eight he threw the ball off for someone who won a raffle ( althought th game was cancelled)- so this is the first year Harry will be able to do this properly, he's really looking forward to going down."

The Daglish family will this year be donating £70 to the Easter Tuesday winner to mark the special occasion of the Queen's Jubilee and the return of the game after covid.

FAMILY: Harry and his sisters in the bridge

Robert said: "Im really quite moved about it, for my family this tradition has gone on for hundreds of years and it's moving on to the next generation now-it's a really nice feeling.

"It's gone on for so long and especially after the lockdown - it was one of the first time's it was stopped, it even went on during the war, my auntie Amy threw it off when the war was on.

"Of course we had to stop it (due to covid) but we feel a responsibilty to make sure this tradition continues, which makes it good to see if moving onto the next generation."

The Uppies and Downies series will begin this Good Friday, March 15 and carry on across the following Tuesday and Saturday.

This year will be the return of the game after two year's being cancelled.