Football matches are normally called off if the pitch is waterlogged – except in the Cotswolds.
Two teams braved the freezing water today to take part in the annual Football In The River match in Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire.
The 30-minute game was played out between Bourton Rovers 1st XI and Bourton Rovers 2nd XI.
Bourton Rovers’ 2nd XI beat the 1st XV 4-3 (Ben Birchall/PA)
Several hundred spectators basked in the sunshine to line banks of the river to enjoy the spectacle.
The annual Bank Holiday five-a-side clash takes place in the ankle-deep water of the River Windrush.
It is not entirely clear how the idea of playing a football match in a river first arose, but the tradition has reportedly been going strong for around 100 years.
The annual game raises money for Bourton Rovers (Ben Birchall/PA)
The match, which raises funds for Bourton Rovers Football Club, regularly draws large crowds – and fans are advised to wear waterproofs if they plan to stand close to the side of the “pitch”.
Monday’s match ended 4-3 to the 2nd XI who scored a late winning penalty after going 2-0 in the opening skirmishes.
Max Salf, 24, who was playing for the 2nd XI, said: “It was rough and cold out there. It was decent weather and a good turn for supporters.
“We’ve had pretty poor weather the last couple of years and it is nice to have the weather for it.”