©Tony Combes

A view of the climber in the process of climbing to the top of the maypole. There is no record of the pole being climbed to the top before the 1920's. Someone is needed to climb the pole to the place where the garlands are hanging to release the ropes which have been used to keep the pole in place while the earth is being tamped into the ground.

It is now accepted that the task is extended by the climber attempting to reach the top of the pole to spin the fox which is mounted on the top. At the 2005 maypole raising the climber was obliged (because of modern safety standards) to where a harness.

The photograph shown here was taken in 1969 when the climber was Arthur Nicholls, a local farmer.