Girl, 5, crowned World Puddle Jumping champion

A five-year-old girl has won this year's World Puddle Jumping Championship.

Bonnie Howard, from Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire, impressed judges with her enthusiasm, distance of splash and creativity, after she made her own muddy puddle using a hosepipe during a recent spell of dry weather.

The annual event, run by Wicksteed Park in Kettering since 2013, invites participants to submit videos jumping into any suitable puddle.

Bonnie's mother, Gemma Hill, said: "Bonnie is beside herself with excitement at winning. We had a great time, although I can't say the same for my geraniums. She has destroyed part of the garden, caking us all in mud in the process."

The competition has seen thousands of entries over the years, with previous winners coming from across the UK and as far afield as Australia.

Judges award points based on the height of the jump, distance of the splash, enthusiasm and the amount of mud that sticks to the competitor – known as "stickability".

This year, paddling pools were permitted due to unusually dry conditions.

Wicksteed Park director Kelly Richardson said Bonnie's entry "was the perfect example of what the competition is all about".

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