The annual St Neots Festival of Rugby was a roaring success.

More than a thousand players and spectators were present at The Common last weekend for some cracking senior and junior action.

A clash between the England Deaf team and a St Neots senior side was the highlight of Saturday’s action. It ended in a 41-39 success for the hosts – their first victory in the third staging of the annual contest.

There were also other exhibition games before the next generation of rugby talent took centre stage on Sunday.

The 41st mini-fest proved to be as popular as ever with 60 teams – including two from Bermuda - doing battle across six age groups.

There was a success for the host club to cheer as St Neots won the Under 7 event while fellow locals St Ives ruled supreme in the Under 8 bracket and Huntingdon took the Under 9 spoils.

Olney triumphed in the Under 10 competition while Bishop’s Stortford were successful in the Under 11 and 12 categories.

St Neots chairman Colin Arber said: “It was another excellent event and fantastic to see people of all ages and abilities enjoying their rugby.

“We were able to raise plenty of money in the process.”

Arber estimates somewhere in the region of £2,000 was raised to be split between the England Deaf set-up and the sensory room at Hinchingbrooke Hospital.