A man who runs one of most unusual sports clubs in Bury St Edmunds has said he hopes the game will one day become as popular on UK soil as it is across the pond.

Matt Richardson, who moved to Bury St Edmunds from the US when he was stationed at RAF Mildenhall in January 2022, is the founder of the Bury Baggers Cornhole Club and the UK's current number one player in the sport. 

Cornhole, a popular game in the States, involves two boards with holes in stationed at either end of a court.

East Anglian Daily Times: Some of the Bury Baggers Cornhole Club membersSome of the Bury Baggers Cornhole Club members (Image: Matt Richardson)

Players stand on one side of the court and take it turns to throw four bean bags each towards the opposite board, swapping to the other side at the end of each round. 

Landing a bag on the board scores one point and if you land it in the hole, it is worth three.

Mr Richardson, 38 and a crew chief on the CV22 Osprey, said: "It's a bigger sport in the states, but it is definitely growing over here.

"Before we came to England we lived in Florida, and there were Cornhole tournaments almost every night of the week. I hoped to bring this idea to the UK." 

East Anglian Daily Times: Matt Richardson, founder of the Bury Baggers Cornhole Club and Matt Richardson, the UK's current number one player in the sportMatt Richardson, founder of the Bury Baggers Cornhole Club and Matt Richardson, the UK's current number one player in the sport (Image: Matt Richardson)

The Bury Baggers Cornhole Club now has 10 to 15 regular members and meets to play every Tuesday evening in the Platinum Dance Academy.

Mr Richardson said: "Luckily over the last two years we have been able to get the word out there and really get it off the ground."

East Anglian Daily Times: Bury Baggers Cornhole Club members in a tournamentBury Baggers Cornhole Club members in a tournament (Image: Matt Richardson)

He said Birmingham Cornhole player Daniel Lilley set up the UK Cornhole League, which had its first season last year with a second, that will see a tournament held in Bury St Edmunds, to begin in October. 

"The thing I love about this game is that anyone can play, and anyone can win," said Mr Richardson, who recently placed tenth in the American Cornhole League European tournament.

"When we are out at these beer festivals and events we have kids throwing, elderly people throwing. You don't need muscle or anything to throw the bag.

"We are always open to new people joining who want to try it out and we are a really welcoming group."