Today is the decisive day for Uppies And Downies as they prepare to play the last game of this year's clash.

The traditional mass football game saw downie Keith Hunter hail the ball on Good Friday's match, while uppie Liam Friel made it to Workington Hall on Easter Tuesday.

The battle ends with tonight's match, which starts at 6.30pm at The Cloffocks.

The Adams family traditionally sponsors the Saturday's ball, while the Friday's ball was sponsored by the Boyds and the Tuesday one by the Daglish.

All the balls are made by the official ball maker Mark Rawlinson.

Veteran player Joe Clark, who plays for the uppies, said: "I'm a bit bruised and battered from the last two games, it was a pretty epic game on Tuesday, we played far better as a team, we pulled together and I'm confident we can win tonight. We just need to keep it away from the river.

"On Friday it was a downie throwing the ball, and he tried a long shot to get it over to the field next to the Black Path, which gives the downies an advantage.

"It will be another downie throwing it tonight, so we need to be aware of that."I'm expecting a really good turnout for this game and I'm hoping people will come out and support this major event."

Keith Hunter, who hailed the ball for the downies on Friday, said: "I think we definitely have a chance to win today, we need to get it into the beck. It would mean everything to me if I hailed the ball again."

Liam Friel, who hailed the ball for the uppies in the last match, said: "We surely have a chance to win, it would be really good for the uppies to win it."

Next Saturday players and supporters will also hold a charity event to raise money for Jigsaw, Cumbria's children's hospice, and Emily Shutt, seven, of Railbank Drive, who is fighting leukaemia for the fourth time.

A replica of an Uppies And Downies ball made by Mark Rawlinson will be raffled on the night at the event at Workington's Railway Club from 7pm.

Mr Clark said: "I'd encourage everyone to come along, it's all for a good cause. We've funded all the prizes ourselves so every penny raised goes to charity."