On the evening of Saturday 18 June teams will be able to compete in one of the following sports in the Quarry park, Shrewsbury: tug of war; tossing the bale; wheelbarrow relay; catching the pig; the eight-legged-race, and jingling.

No animal will be hurt in Catch the Pig, but there will be hilarity and an ingenious slippery ‘pig’. The eight-legged-race is best explained by contemplating the difficulties of getting four people to use one pair of skis. Jingling is an ancient rustic sport, which is rather like Blind Man’s Buff in reverse – a blind folded team tries to catch ‘the Jingler’, who is covered from head to foot in bells!

Shropshire Council would like to hear from anyone from the county’s market towns or villages who can bring together 12 ladies and gentlemen to take up the challenge and represent their area in these sports.

Teams from Oswestry, Shrewsbury and Ironbridge have already signed up, as well as the Shropshire Firefighters and BBC Radio Shropshire. Some trial heats/rehearsals are also due to be held at Blists Hill in the spring to give teams ample opportunity to work out tactics, get to grips with the pig and check out the competition.

Councillor Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for culture and leisure, said: “The Shropshire Team Challenge offers a range of games that our great-great-great grandparents would be very familiar with. Alas we won’t see medal winners for these ancient and rustic games in London 2012, but we will do in Shrewsbury 2011.”

The three-day Shropshire Olympian Festival is a celebration of the eponymous event in 1864, which grew out of the pioneering Olympian Games, started by William Penny Brookes in nearby Much Wenlock, which drew a huge audience and much praise.

It is being held in the Quarry, Shrewsbury, where the 1864 festival was also held. The Quarry will be spectacularly decorated for the festival and wonderfully illuminated late on Saturday night.

The Festival has already won a government Inspire Mark, to recognise its importance as a major factor in the Cultural Olympiad and it has also supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Arts Council England.

The organisers are advertising for various professional artists to lead workshops and provide the creative focus in the festival. A designer, a musical composer/director, a costume manager and an event site manager are all being sought.

For full details of the Shropshire Olympian Festival and to register your interest visit www.shropshire1864.org.uk, call 01743 252305 or email sarah.rollason@shropshire.gov.uk.