FROM misunderstood dialects to quirky pub games, a popular local author launched his new book this weekend with the help of some of Suffolk's champion sportsmen.

FROM misunderstood dialects to quirky pub games, a popular local author launched his new book this weekend with the help of some of Suffolk's champion sportsmen.

Suffolk-based writer Charlie Haylock was in Halesworth on Saturday to sign copies of his new book, which takes a light-hearted look at the county's dialect, landmarks and traditional sports.

Mr Haylock was accompanied at the Halesworth Bookshop by members of the Blyth Valley dwile flonking team, winners of the 1968 dwile flonking world championship.

The team, who are based around Halesworth, won the championship in August 1968 at the Racehorse pub in Westhall, near Beccles, when the curious sport was revived and their exploits are told in Mr Haylock's new book.

The story has it that the game's rules were discovered on a piece of parchment called Ye Olde Book of Suffolk Harvest Rituals in a Bungay attic in 1966, and it is still played at the Racehorse pub on bank holiday weekends.

Caw'd A Hell, Thas Suffen Good is published by Countryside Books, priced £7.99, and is available from bookshops and direct from the publishers via www.edp24.co.uk/dailylinks