MOST children hate the end of the school holidays - but probably not young people in one corner of East Yorkshire.

For the final days of the Christmas vacation coincides with the historic tradition of "scrambling" - where children gather in the town centre and are showered with sweets and money at New Year.

The spectacle - in Driffield, just 27 miles from York - dates back to the 17th century, but was caught on camera by the BBC in a special report for Newsround in January 2000.

In the film - released from the BBC's archives to be shared with Press readers - we see young people gather in the town centre and scramble for sweets and coins.

But first they have to join in with the town crier in repeating an ancient rhyme: "Here we are at our town end, with a shoulder of mutton and a crown to spend. Are we downhearted: No! Shall we win: Yes!"

You can watch the children scramble for goodies in the video below and if you love sharing old stories, videos and photos of the York area, click here to join our nostalgia group on Facebook; Why We Love York - Memories.

Scrambling in Driffield: fact file

1. It has been a long held tradition in Driffield for the townspeople to congregate in Market Place to welcome in the New Year.

2. The custom is unique to the Wolds and its origin unknown.

3. Scrambling involves children visiting various shops in the town soliciting New Year’s gifts of oranges, fruit, nuts, sweets, pennies etc by their cheers and shouts.

4. The chant is thought to survive from the days when itinerant traders used to visit the outskirts of the town and distribute gifts to the crowd to promote trade. It is thought that perhaps townspeople would take items to barter such as a shoulder of mutton or cash – a crown or ‘croon’ to spend.

5. Since 1996, scrambling has been held on the January 2 each year. Children are invited to meet the Town Mayor and the Town Crier at 9am in the station yard, where they make their way around the town shouting their chant and scrambling for sweets and coins thrown by the local shopkeepers and businesses.

6. Because of lockdown restrictions and the pandemic, the town organised a different scrambling system this January - children had to find the virtual coins on our posters and add them up. There were 20 winners who each received a £10 DiscoverDriffield gift voucher.

Source: driffieldtowncouncil.gov.uk/news-events/scrambling/