Secretary Janneen Bernard: I had no choice over ending Atherstone Ball Game early as town digs deep for event's 'real winners'

Atherstone Ball Game secretary Janneen Bernard has spoken of the moment she took the heart-breaking decision to call time on an event that has beaten the weather, world wars and government lawmakers over ten centuries.

The hair salon owner stared at a stricken match steward and went back outside the event headquarters in Long Street to order the immediate halting of an ancient sporting spectacle which had gone unchallenged for 821 years.

What fire, floods, tempest, two global conflicts and legislation – in the form of the Highways Act 1835 which saw Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel's government determined to stamp out violent games in the streets of Britain – failed to do, the 40-year-old managed in one swift action yesterday.

Visibly upset after the dramatic events of the afternoon, she told Nub News: "I had no choice. It had to be done for the sake of our long-serving steward."

Everything had been pointing towards a well-organised return to the family feelgood factor with chief steward Noel Johnston playing a big part after last year's less-than-flattering social media and press attention.

Some 100 minutes into the ball game action – with the 'serious' business of the afternoon ahead in the last half-hour – no one could have suspected that a different kind of battle would be taking place. To save a man's life.

The collapse of Martyn Burton with a suspected heart attack inside Atherstone Conservative Club left the whole town in shock.

Airlifted to the Walsgrave Hospital by a Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air ambulance after reportedly twice being revived by paramedics, the 38-year-old is spoken of in revered terms for his dedication to the ball game.

"I felt what I did in bringing the event to a close without a winner being declared was the right thing to do," said Mrs Bernard.

But players, ball game committee and townsfolk judged there was only one 'off-the-field' winner – the first responders.

The emergency services were praised on social media for being "silent angels" and by last night more than £1,500 had been raised in an impromptu whip-round for the 999 crews.

Committee chairman Rob Bernard added; "That's fantastic. It just shows how the town feels about these first responders and how generous the people of Atherstone are."

Mr Burton's family have asked for "privacy" at this time and a spokeswoman for the hospital was unable to give Nub News an up-to-date condition check on the ball game official.