King Charles III starts ancient hand ba' game during Scottish Borders visit

King Charles III launched Jedburgh's traditional hand ba' game on Thursday during Royal Week in Scotland. The King threw a leather ball into the air above a crowd of local men in the town square, then watched as they competed for it. Security staff stepped forward when the scrum moved close to him, but he was not hurt. The exhibition match lasted around three minutes.

Hand ba' has been played in Jedburgh since 1704. Competitors are split into two teams, the Uppies and the Doonies, depending on which part of town they come from. Only about 14 versions of this full-contact street sport still take place regularly across Britain.

The King also visited local businesses and a community facility called the Jed Shed, where he helped build a bird house. Jedburgh's last royal visit was in 2006.