Walking tall in Belgium

Locals of Namur in Belgium entertain visitors once a year with their stilt-walking fighting expertise.

In the battle of the stilt-walkers that is the Gold Stilt Contest, the aim is to knock opponents off balance using shoulders, elbows or stilts.

The two teams are known as the Melans and the Averesses who move towards each other threateningly as a drum beats to signal the beginning of the battle.

Originating in the early 15th century, a red-and-white team competes against a yellow-and-black team to stay upright on what look like large candy canes.

During the Middle Ages, when Namur used to flood frequently, locals were forced to walk around on stilts to keep their feet dry.

When their stilt-walking talents were honed, they decided to hold an annual competition to find the best-balanced people in the town.

Settlements in Namur have been recorded from at least 100,000 years ago and during the Iron Age, it was the location of the oldest pre-Roman fortified town in the Benelux.