A record number of worm hunters descended on Blackawton for the village's annual wacky festival - which is more than could be said for their prey.
This year's worm charming extravaganza was organised by John and Gill Skuse, who run their own worm breeding business from Collaton Farm at Blackawton.
While the amateur hunters are out trying to charm their worms in ones and twos, John and Gill have got hundreds of thousands of the little wrigglers tucked away back home.
However, John said there was no question of him 'seeding' the worm charming ground, the whereabouts of which was a closely guarded secret.
But he added: "Worm sales seem to have gone up a bit this week."
This will be the competition's 25th anniversary even though it has actually been going for 26 years. The competition had to be abandoned in 2001 because of the foot and mouth outbreak.
This was also the first competition for two years when both village pubs would be taking part.
The Normandy Arms, which at one times was 'worm central' during the competition day, re-opened nine months ago after being closed for around two years amid unsuccessful plans to re-develop the old building.
On the Sunday new landlords Peter and Sharon Alcroft laid on a brunch barbecue for the worm hunters and their supporters.
At the same time the George Inn laid on a beer festival which continued until Monday.
Nigel Smith, who has organised the event for several years, was compering the event as usual.
And John was one of the judges for the day, backed up by the competition's official cheat, Blackawton groundsman Ashley Stevens, whose job was to actively encourage people to break what few rules there are.
This year the competition was raising funds for the Devon Air Ambulance.
A total of 87 teams took part in the international worm charming festival - more than ever before.But thanks to weeks of dry weather very few worms could be tempted to stick their heads above ground level - despite the singing, dancing and 'magic elixirs' designed to lure them out.
The winning team - a trio of soil ecology students who had travelled all the way from Bedford for the wormcharming fun - could only manage 15 wrigglers.
And the rest of the teams ended up with far less than that.
A team from the BBC Countryfile programme which not only filmed the event but took part in the worm hunt as well, claimed to have realised a haul of 99 worms.
But Blackawton wormmaster Nick Smith said: "It did not count because we knew they had been cheating," he said.
The show is expected to be broadcast by the BBC some time in August.
Nick said that thanks to some 'divine intervention' the clouds parted and sun came out just in time for the contest which brought almost 1,000 people flooding into the village to watch - on top of the 260 plus contestants.
In fact so many people showed up that the mile long lane into the village became clogged with traffic.
"It was a bit chaotic," said Nick. "It took us all by surprise. My mother-in-law tried to get in and she was stuck in traffic."
He said the whole day had been a 'great success' including the village ram roast and the pub beer festival which was going on at The George pub.
Wormeries 
A record number of worm hunters descended on Blackawton for the village's annual wacky festival - which is more than could be said for their prey.
The Normandy Arms, which at one times was 'worm central' during the competition day, re-opened nine months ago after being closed for around two years amid unsuccessful plans to re-develop the old building.
The winning team - a trio of soil ecology students who had travelled all the way from Bedford for the wormcharming fun - could only manage 15 wrigglers.
Copyright Westcountry Worms 2006