Archery Tournament doubles in size

Tom Schofield takes part in the junior archery tournement

The Middleton Archers Charity Clout archery tournament doubled in size this year with over 70 shooters taking part.

Held at Bowlee Playing Fields, Middleton this afternoon (Sunday 8 September), the tournament saw men, women and juniors take part in clout shooting, a traditional style of archery used in warfare.

Men in the tournament had to reach a target 180 yards away and women had to reach a target 140 yards away. Shooters had to shoot their arrows into the air and hit a flag.

Jane Percival, organiser of the tournament, said: “This is not a traditional shoot out but it has become a hugely successful event.”

Money raised from the tournament will go towards the preservation of the Flooden Window in St Leonard's Church, Middleton. The window is the oldest war memorial in Britain dedicated to archers.

The event has run for two years and has raised £1,000. Money was raised through entrance fees and donations and organisers hoped to have raised a further £500 at today's tournament.

Eleven-year-old Tom Schofield from Rochdale took part in the junior division of the tournament and said: “It's my first clout tournament and it's quiet fun.”

Tom started archery in September 2012 and got involved after watching at school. “If I get at least one point today then I'll be happy,” said Tom.

Archery expert Wendy Hodkinson, who is in charge of Britain’s best archery collection at Manchester University, and film director Hopwood DePree, whose ancestry goes back to Hopwood also attended the event.

The Middleton Archers were 17 bowmen who accompanied Richard Assherton to the battle of Flodden Field. The anniversary of the battle of Flooden Field is tomorrow (Monday 9 September) and the tournament is held to mark this anniversary.