Cheese-rolling race axed after 200 years... thanks to health and safety killjoys

Published 13th Mar 2010

For nearly two centuries, runners and spectators have gathered on a steep Cotswolds hill for the Whitsun cheese rolling.

The rough and tumble spectacle sees daredevil competitors chase a 7lb wheel of Double Gloucester down the 200-yard incline in one of Britain's most eccentric traditions.

But organisers have been forced to cancel this year's event because of health and safety fears.

There are dozens of injuries every year among the men and women who hurl themselves down the hill in a bid to catch the cheese, but these are mainly minor.

However, the sheer number of people flooding in to watch the event has led to increasing concern from the police and councils.

This year's cheese-rolling was due to take place on May 31. But Richard Jefferies, of the event's organising committee, said: 'We have had to cancel on the advice of the police and local authorities.

'Last year 15,000 spectators tried to come to the event, by far the most we have ever seen, and we just could not cope.

'As well as concerns about the safety of the crowd and the competitors, landowners were worried by the amount of damage done by people climbing over fences and that sort of thing.'

The event site, Cooper's Hill in Brockworth, near Gloucester, has a capacity of around 5,000 people.

Last year roads for miles around were blocked by traffic trying to get to the event and finding nowhere to park. The chaos led to calls for an overhaul of the event.

Eighteen people were injured last year. This was described as 'low' by St John Ambulance, though ten of the wounded were not competitors but spectators.

Yesterday regular competitors reacted with disappointment to the cancellation.

Robin Hammond, of the Really Exciting Adventure Club, said: 'I do understand the issues about the crowd but wish that the local authorities had worked harder to ensure that we don't lose another part of our English culture to issues of crowd health and safety.'

Inspector Stephen Norris, of Gloucestershire Police, said: 'The organisers, the Cooper's Hill Cheese Rolling Committee, have an obligation to ensure the safety of those attending.'

He said police and the county council had been advising the committee on how to create a safer event, but added that the CHCRC had taken a vote and decided to postpone this year's event.

Organisers say the cheese-rolling will return in a revised form next year.

Source: ' Daily Mail '

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