An entertaining children's atlas showing off unusual and interesting traditions has included Egremont's Crab Fair.

Clive Gifford and Tracy Worrall's Atlas of Oddities is designed to help inquisitive children discover the world.

The new book includes the Crab Fair and the World Gurning Championships in its map of quirky traditions in Britain.

Egremont's entry reads: "A Crab Fair has been held in the village since 1267, but in more recent times it has been home to the World Gurning Championships. Contestants put their head through a horse collar and pull a ridiculous face."

The fair, which will celebrate its 750th anniversary next year, takes its name from the tradition, started by the Lord of Egremont, of giving away crab apples.

In the book, bizarre facts from impressive feats of human ingenuity to talented animals are recorded. It also features capital cities and key country stats to help children with their geography.

The idea for the atlas came from Gifford's own travels around the world, inspired by his fathers 40 years of work for British Airways.

Gifford, who lives in Manchester, has had over 150 books published, most of which are for children.

And Worrall is a freelance illustrator who has previously worked for the Discovery Channel, the National Trust and Tate galleries.

Other facts include that in Ninotaria, Japan, you can bath in a giant pool of red wine, green tea, coffee or noodle soup and Sport Club do Recife, a football club in Brazil, once hired the fans own mothers as security guards.

The book was produced by Egmont Publishing and more information can be found at www.egmont.co.uk

Egmont is the largest specialist children's book publisher in the UK, selling over one million books every month.