GALAVANTING around southern Oxfordshire on Boxing Day in pink tutus and surgeon costumes, Wantage Mummers brought a centuries-old tradition up to date.

Hundreds gathered in Wantage Market Place before the motley crew arrived at noon for the annual Christmas ritual.

Following the traditional tale, the spirited ensemble enacted an imaginary battle between King Alfred and Napoleon, after which each of them has to be healed first by a real doctor, then a phoney.

According to tradition, the actors remain anonymous, but most of the Wantage brigade come from the local Icknield Way Morris Men.

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Icknield Morris dancer Sem Seaborne, dressed as a First World War soldier, said: “This is a traditional Mid-Berkshire Mummers Play, which has been revived in Wantage for the past 40 years.

“We have our French officer and we have King Alfred representing Good, and they have a fight.

“Somebody has to be restored to health initially by a proper doctor and then by a quack doctor, and then it all ends in the best possible taste.”

Mummers Plays are seasonal folk plays, traditionally performed by troupes of travelling players.

They trace their roots to the 18th century.

The Wantage Mummers’ version, common to Berkshire and Oxfordshire, is several hundred years old.

The players performed their rendition in Faringdon, Wantage and Childrey on Friday, and Mr Seaborne joked: “I think this year was as bad as ever.”

To mark the 100th anniversary of the First World War, the Mummers this year used their skit to raise money for veterans’ mental health charity Combat Stress and Oxfordshire mental health charity South and Vale Carers.

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