This year’s unofficial cheese-rolling on Coopers Hill in Gloucestershire saw a crowd of nearly 5,000 turn out to watch racers chase an 8lb wheel of cheese down the 1:2 gradient slope. The event was once again organized by local rebel cheese rollers, after the official event was cancelled in 2010.

Racers once again chased a real wheel of double Gloucestershire cheese after they tried to make last year’s races safer by replacing it with a form imitation. Seven wheels are used throughout the afternoon, four weighing 8lbs and three smaller wheels each weighing 3lbs. There was even a guest wheel of cheese which had been sent from Gouda in Holland to give the event a real international feel.

The winner of the first mens race was Josh Shepherd a 19 year old from nearby Brockworth, who was rightly proud of his achievement but did admit that in fact he was not too keen on cheese and was wondering what to do with his prize. For an amazing third year in a row the ladies race was won by Lucy Townsend, also from Brockworth, must be something in the water!

As well as the men’s and women’s downhill races there are also three uphill events which don’t receive as much publicity but are just as demanding to complete. Two races are for children aged under fourteen, one race for the boys and one for the girls, then an open race for anyone else and everyone was seen to be wearing all sorts of running shoes, boots and outfits, Superman even took part in the uphill race, although he didn’t win. Apart from the normal scrapes and grazes one competitor suffered a broken leg on the mass descent of the hill which takes place after all the other races have been completed, but onsite medics dealt with this admirably

Gloucestershire County Council assisted this year by closing roads 2.5miles around the hill itself to keep disruption to residents down to a minimum. So maybe next year it can once again become an official event, as competitors this year were again travelling from all across the globe to compete in this great British tradition and it is one that we do keep winning.