Dead Man's Trolley Dash
Fans of television programmes have traditionally held gatherings. Star Trek fans organise huge conventions, Doctor Who buffs meet up at conferences and even fans of The Professionals gather in a broom cupboard once a year. But for devotees of The Avengers, the annual fan gathering takes on a unique twist, for there is nothing else quite like the "Dead Man's Trolley Dash."
The idea is simple. Fans gather at the location of an Avengers story with their mode of transport - a supermarket trolley (or cart for our American readers.) They then have a set amount of time to proceed around the course and make it back to the finishing line.
Along the course are dotted clues which range from the simple "Proceed to the location of Murdersville" to the more difficult "What do you think this is, a puff-adder?" Fans often stop enroute to soak-up the atmosphere of the Avengers locations and can be frequently seen scouring muddy fields in the hope of finding a cigarette butt discarded by Diana Rigg in the sixties.
To add to the excitement, the fans decorate their shopping trolleys with brightly coloured ribbons and balloons and wear costumes connected with the series. A recent event boasted seven Steeds, nine Emma Peels, two Taras (one of each hair colour), five mothers, two Mrs Gales, a Keel and a basking shark - the latter was thought to be a confused individual who had come to the wrong event. Famous scenes are often acted out by the excited fans, sometimes leading to a rather high mortality rate as fans have their necks broken, are blown-up, electrocuted or shot. An attendee at one event caused quite a stir with the "shocking" accuracy of his costume of the Positive Negative Man!
Occasionally the fans are treated to a special guest appearance from a star of the series. Previous visitors include "Puppy" (the dog from season one), "Man who drops box" from the episode Death's Door and an old lady (who was probably in a black and white Diana Rigg episode - no one was sure.)
At the end of the weekend, the fans are thoroughly worn-out, what with all the dashing around, drinking champagne and spearing scout-masters, but it is always a sad moment when it's time to say goodbye until next year and the next "Dead Man's Trolley Dash."