COMPETITORS went flat out to batter the opposition as a picturesque Hampshire village celebrated Shrove Tuesday by staging a series of pancake races.
A large number of spectators lined both sides of the High Street and roared their encouragement as children and adults took part in the competitions, which included a relay event.
Most of the entrants were children from Beaulieu Village Primary School, which is in the centre of the village.
Spectators applauded as each year group left the playground and trooped down the narrow street to either watch or take part in the races.
Excitement rose to fever pitch as pupils clutching child-sized frying pans dashed towards the finishing line - a black and yellow tape that was stretched across the road at the start of each race.
Some of the participants dropped their pancakes but ran back and retrieved them before completing the race - while others simply carried on.
It was a bittersweet occasion for Year 6 pupils at the school, who were taking part in the event for the last time.
Other competitors included staff from the Countryside Education Trust (CET), the Montagu Arms, and the Master Builder's House Hotel at Buckler's Hard, a former shipbuilding village.
The annual contest is one of the highlights of Beaulieu's social calendar.
But the event has been hit by a raft of problems in recent years, including the pandemic and a bout of bad weather that resulted in the 2022 races being replaced by an indoor event at the village hall.
This year's host was Robin Phillips, director of the Beaulieu Warblers choir.
He told the crowd: "It's a great honour to be here for the 17th annual Beaulieu pancake races. After three years we're back with a vengeance. We're going to have a wonderful afternoon of fun."
The fun-filled event ended with a contest to find Beaulieu’s best pancake tosser.
Often described as the highlight of the afternoon, the competition was won by Chris Chappell, a 57-year-old education officer who managed 80 flips in 60 seconds.
Chris playfully placed a pancake on his head after being presented with a gold-coloured frying pan by the event organiser, Jan Hoy.
"I just focused and kept tossing - it's in the wrist action," he joked.
Lord Montagu of Beaulieu usually watches the races but the 61-year-old peer was unable to attend this year's event.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel