Ringing random doorbells and running away. Called knockdown-ginger by posh kids and stories on Jackanory, and rat-tat-charlie in South Wales.

Caroline said she played the game we've listed as 'nicky-knocky-nine-doors' with some of her classmates who were the daughters of "squaddies " living on a forces housing estate in Wiltshire, UK, in the late 1970s. They called it called "Belfast" or perhaps " bell-fast". Whether this name had a conscious connection to tours of duty in Ireland I can't say.

Ed says another name is "ding-dong ditch'em".