'Forgotten' Dudley village hosting own Commonwealth Games

A 'forgotten' village whose residents feel like they have been 'snubbed' by the Commonwealth Games' baton relay are hosting their own version of the sporting event.

The Queens Baton Relay travelled on July 24 ahead of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham this summer - but it won't go near Coseley.

Residents feel the area has already been left behind over the last couple of decades - with the loss of a tip, a secondary school and swimming baths - and this is the latest blow for them. But the village's 'strong community' has responded by holding the Coseley Commonwealth Games at the village's cricket club, in a bid to celebrate the occasion, where there will be 'silly games' like welly wanging and three-legged races.

Community activist Tony Sheldon, 74, said: "The Commonwealth baton will be circulating the borough and, as expected, it's coming nowhere near to Coseley. Because of this, we intend to have our own Coseley Commonwealth Games on the same day."

Coseley residents feel like organisers of the Commonwealth Games have also snubbed them for the cycling event, which will cut through the nearby village of Sedgley but will avoid Coseley. Reverend Emma Stanford, who is helping to organise the Coseley Commonwealth Games, said: "We are in a sort of forgotten void here in Coseley.

"The cycling during the Commonwealth Games is going through Sedgley nearby, so there is nothing coming down the hill towards us this way. With everything else, it is also another thing that residents feel neglected over.

"There are often negative feelings about how the local area is treated but they are a strong community that enjoy sharing in events together."

Rev Stamford is from Christ Church, located near the cricket ground, which is leading the organisation of the event. She hopes the Coseley Commonwealth Games will be a force for good, bringing people together and providing them with good, honest entertainment.

She said: "It is just about getting everybody together as a community, doing something good to celebrate. It is a community effort involving the church, volunteers of the church, along with Tony, the guides, brownies and rainbows, they are helping out, and Coseley Big Local is helping us as well."

The Coseley Commonwealth Games will begin at 2.15pm, starting off with its own baton parade. It will be followed by: a three-legged race; welly wanging - where people have to throw a welly as far as possible; a women's obstacle course; a relay race; an egg and spoon race; a sack race; a men's obstacle course; a sports obstacle course; before the event finishes with a tug of war. Other mooted events include hula-hooping and crown green bowls.