Kiwi worms his way past the English

By STUART DYE

As a Kiwi living in England, Garry Trainer had to bear more than his fair share of ribbing when they won the rugby World Cup.

So the 47-year-old acupuncturist-to-the-stars made it his mission to take something from the English.

In the tiny, quaint Devon village of Blackawton, Mr Trainer was crowned the world worm charming champion - the first time in its 24-year history that the competition has been won by a non-Englishman.

Mr Trainer, who was born in Auckland, has lived in London for the past 20 years.

As a Harley St osteopath and acupuncturist, his clients include Sir Paul McCartney, Gwyneth Paltrow, Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp.

But he remains a fiercely proud New Zealander.

"I'm a bloody world champion - it's the most bizarre thing, but hopefully shows the Poms a thing or two," he said.

Mr Trainer and his eight-year-old son Max only visited the World Charming Championships out of curiosity and as a favour to a competing friend.

But they were sucked into the controversial and hotly contested competition after a cloak-and-dagger meeting with a former champ.

Mr Trainer used a special elixir to draw 51 worms to the surface in 15 minutes.

"People were trying all kinds of things, like using watering cans to replicate the sound of rain or connecting their mobile phones to a computer to send vibrations into the ground," he said.

"It was surreal and made more so because everyone was in fancy dress and all the while there was Morris Dancing going on."

Mr Trainer, a former Auckland Grammar School pupil whose family still live in the city, said he was proud of his achievement - made sweeter because it was against the English.

"I went right into their back garden and took something of theirs.

"I did it for the homeland," he said.

Testimonials on his website include one from Paltrow, who writes: "I rely on Garry heavily to get me through any difficult period, physical, emotional or otherwise."

McCartney adds: "Garry has been pummelling me for years and I still live to tell the tale.

"He's a cool dude."

Worm charming

Competitors are given 15 minutes to attract worms to the surface of a 3x4ft area. Any elixir used by the teams will be required to be sampled by the team charmer.

Cutting worms in half is cheating.

The British Association of Worm Length Supporters state that all worms are to be returned to the soil after the contest.

No digging or forking of the ground is allowed. No instruments or contraptions are to penetrate the soil.