A three-year-old girl has been crowned the World’s Best Puddle Jumper at the annual World Championships this year. Luna Rudd, who was inspired by her cartoon hero, Peppa Pig, took the title after wowing judges at Wicksteed Park with her enthusiastic puddle diving skills which left her covered head to toe in mud. Judges gave scores based on the height of the jump, enthusiasm, distance of splash and stickability - the amount of mud which clings to each competitor. And hundreds of children from across the world entered the competition - which has previously received unlikely backing from Jacob Rees-Mogg in the House of Commons. Luna, from Northampton, won the first prize of a £250 waterproof outfit - to help keep her dry while carrying out her hobby in the future. She finished ahead of five-year-old Oliver Hart from Barton Seagrave in Northamptonshire, who finished second, and third-placed Emilie Chambers, 4, from Ely in Cambridgeshire. Luna’s mum, Zoe, said: “This is the first year she has entered but Luna just loves puddles. We went on a four-mile walk around a nature reserve close to our home and when she saw a big puddle she just had to jump in it. "Luna has always loved the outdoors. She loves Peppa Pig. She always says ‘you must wear your welly boots if you jump in muddy puddles. She ended up absolutely plastered in mud and water but she had a great time.” Competitors were asked to submit videos of themselves jumping in puddles they had made or found themselves. They were also invited to use any naturally-formed puddles they found while walking around Wicksteed Park in Northamptonshire. Wicksteed Park head of sales and marketing Megan Wright said: “We have been astounded by the number of superb entries we have received this year and clearly people have been having great fun, which is what the competition is all about. “Luna’s entry really caught the judges’ attention and if she carries on jumping in puddles like that she will definitely put her prize to good use.”
