Inaugural grave-digging contest awards competitors 'style points'

Our pick of the strange but true stories from around the world.

Deadly serious competition

Grave-diggers from across Hungary have taken part in the country's first-ever national grave-digging championship. Working in teams of two, competitors had to use hand tools to dig graves 2ft7in wide, 6ft6in long and 5ft3in deep. Points were awarded for the fastest time, along with "style points" for the way the diggers piled up the dirt next to the grave.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Asteroid lights up Phoenix

Residents of Phoenix, Arizona, have been treated to a lightshow as a small asteroid burnt up in the atmosphere above the city. Nasa says the rock was likely to have been about five feet in diameter and a few tons in mass. "There are no reports of any damage or injuries – just a lot of light and few sonic booms," said Nasa representative Bill Cooke.

Romania's 'Spartacus' poll

Voters in Draguseni, Romania, had a confusing trip to the ballot box to choose a mayor after three candidates were listed with the same name. Three Vasile Cepois, including the present office-holder, competed for the post. "I suspected that the parties would do this," Mayor Cepoi said. "When Messi plays, the whole opposing team plays against him. They did the same with me. I'm the Messi of the Draguseni mayoral election."