“Bottle-kicking is an old Leicestershire custom that takes place in the village of Hallaton each Easter Monday. Records of bottle-kicking date to the late 18th century, but the custom is thought to originate much earlier, from before the Christian era. Local lore claims that the custom began when two ladies of Hallaton were saved from a raging bull by a startled hare, distracting the bull from its charge. They showed their gratitude to God for sending the hare by donating money to the church on the understanding that every Easter Monday, the vicar would provide a hare pie, twelve penny loaves, and 2 barrels of beer for the poor of the village.The Hallaton villagers would fight each other for the food and drink, and on one occasion, the residents of the neighbouring village of Medbourne joined the fray and stole the beer. The Hallatonians cooperated to retrieve the spoils, thus beginning the village rivalry that continues to this day. Other explanations of the custom's origin include the idea that the tradition harks back to England's pagan past, when hares were sacrificed to the goddess Ēostre. Bottle-kicking has been an annual tradition for over 200 years. The tradition has been cancelled only once in that time, in 2001 because of concerns over foot-and-mouth disease. Legend has it that the rector of Hallaton, opposed to the tradition because of its pagan origins, tried to ban the event in 1790. However, he relented the next day, after the words “No pie, no parson” appeared scrawled on the wall of the vicarage overnight”. – Wikipedia

A player breaks with the bottle during the bottle-kicking game in Hallaton, central England April 6, 2015. The game is played between Hallaton and the neighbouring village of Medbourne each Easter Monday in which participants compete to bring the bottle across a stream that separates the villages. The bottle is an old field barrel holding about a gallon of beer. (Photo by Darren Staples/Reuters)

Players battle for the bottle during the bottle-kicking game in Hallaton, central England April 6, 2015. (Photo by Darren Staples/Reuters)

A player waits for the bottle to break from the scrum during the bottle-kicking game in Hallaton, central England April 6, 2015. (Photo by Darren Staples/Reuters)

Players hold the bottles aloft before the bottle-kicking game in Hallaton, central England April 6, 2015. (Photo by Darren Staples/Reuters)

A player holds a bottle before the bottle-kicking game in Hallaton, central England April 6, 2015. (Photo by Darren Staples/Reuters)

People follow the scrum during the bottle-kicking game in Hallaton, central England April 6, 2015. (Photo by Darren Staples/Reuters)

An injured player is stretchered to an ambulance during the bottle-kicking game in Hallaton, central England April 6, 2015. (Photo by Darren Staples/Reuters)

A player breaks with the bottle during the bottle-kicking game in Hallaton, central England April 6, 2015. (Photo by Darren Staples/Reuters)

The Warrener carries a hare-topped staff before the bottle during the bottle-kicking game in Hallaton, central England April 6, 2015. (Photo by Darren Staples/Reuters)

A player reacts in the scrum during the bottle-kicking game in Hallaton, central England April 6, 2015. (Photo by Darren Staples/Reuters)

An injured player looks into the scrum during the bottle-kicking game in Hallaton, central England April 6, 2015. (Photo by Darren Staples/Reuters)

Players wait for the bottle to hit the ground to start the bottle-kicking game in Hallaton, central England April 6, 2015. (Photo by Darren Staples/Reuters)

A player falls to the ground with the bottle during the bottle-kicking game in Hallaton, central England April 6, 2015. (Photo by Darren Staples/Reuters)

A player reacts as he leaves the scrum during the bottle-kicking game in Hallaton, central England April 6, 2015. (Photo by Darren Staples/Reuters)

A Hare pie is blessed before the bottle-kicking game in Hallaton, central England April 6, 2015. (Photo by Darren Staples/Reuters)