WOTTON-under-Edge Hockey club enjoyed a fantastic festival of hockey last weekend as part of their celebrations to mark both their 25th anniversary and the first full season on their new pitch.

The club was boosted by the presence of former GB internationals and Olympians Simon Mason and Mark Pearn, both of whom began their hockey at nearby Katharine Lady Berkeley’s School.

Pearn, one of GB's most capped strikers who is originally from Charfield, played in a Chairman’s XI against a Wotton Legends team, which rounded off proceedings on Saturday evening.

The game was played in bright sunshine in front of a sizeable crowd, who were entertained by several internationals and National League stars as well as Wotton players old and new.

This game complemented the rest of the day, which began with a tournaments for under-nines and under-12s and a fun mixed hockey competition in the afternoon.

On Sunday, triple Olympian goalkeeper and outgoing president of England Hockey Simon Mason, originally from Berkeley, attended the festival.

Mason provided some coaching to under-15s, played in the Mens 7s tournament in the afternoon and even found time to umpire one of the ladies matches.

Chairman Stuart Emms said: "We are extremely grateful to Mark Patteson and his team of volunteers who made the event work as well as the umpires, other teams and old friends who came helped celebrate with us.

"Also to our sponsors – Wotton Directory, Kanola Training, Renishaw plc and the Courtyard Clinic – without whom the event would not have been possible."