World Coal Carrying Championships

What began as a £10 bet between two friends has become an international event (well, an American competed once), recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as the proving ground for the world's greatest coal carrier - or "Coil Humper", to use the local parlance.

The men's event consists of 30 competitors carrying 50 kilos of coal over a distance of 1108.25 yards (nearly a mile; current record: four minutes six seconds), while women, having narrowly escaped the option of a rolling-pin throwing contest, now carry 20 kilos the same distance (current record: five minutes five seconds).

The racing starts around noon at the Royal Oak public house on Owl Lane, and finishes at The Maypole on the village green. The championships are sponsored by H B Clarke & Co, a local brewery, which provides modest cash prizes.

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