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Sausage-throwing champ sizzles for third year in row

James Patient,in Harwichand
Katy Prickett
The BBC's James Patient reports from the sausage-throwing competition

A sausage thrower has been crowned world champion for the third year running with a sizzling distance of 148.5ft (45.26m).

Peter Swift, 29, admitted he faced a bit of pressure to keep his title ahead of taking part in the World Sausage Throwing Championship in Harwich, Essex.

Asked about his banger-tossing technique, his advice was to "try to be a little bit more delicate; don't crumple it into a ball as it'll just explode".

This means the competition's record of 171ft (52.12m), thrown by Todd Rothwell in 2019, still stands.

John Fairhall/BBC Peter Swift, wearing a maroon hoody, with his right arm flung across his body, having thrown a sausage. He has a short brown beard. Behind him is a crowd of men, women and children. John Fairhall/BBC
Champion Peter Swift said he loved the community spirit in Harwich, adding it had the best pubs in the country

The event has been organised by the Tendring branch of Camra (Campaign for Real Ale) since 2011.

Organiser Richard Oxborrow said it was invented in a pub as a "quirky" way to promote the organisation's beer festival in the port and seaside town.

Other quirky competitions

"We also found out that we all like a local sausage and we all enjoy local beer, so it's really about promoting independent butchers and pubs," he said.

After the competitors had limbered up, they walked to Harwich Green where they lobbed the out-of-date bangers as far as they could with their two competition throws.

John Fairhall/BBC Mark Rye, wearing a yellow beanie hat and a brown jacket over a light blue hoody. He has a full dark brown beard and is smiling broadly. Behind him is a green field and a tree. John Fairhall/BBC
Mark Rye persuaded the organisers to name the competition the World Sausage Throwing Championship for the first time

Mark Rye, 47, came over from Cardiff to take part for the first time.

"I've got a hobby entering different world championships. Obviously they're harder to find, so I contacted the sausage committee to see if they were willing to call this a world championship and they've renamed it this year as the World Sausage Throwing Championship," he said.

"This is why I'm here - and this is my 70th different world championships."

His shot fell 40ft (12m) short of the winning throw, but he hopes to improve that when he comes back to take part next year.

John Fairhall/BBC Two men, smiling broadly, wearing dark jackets and holding up cocktail sticks with cooked sausages on them. John Fairhall/BBC
Friends Jack Matthews (left) and Joe Cummins (right) were visiting from London

Jack Matthews, who was visiting from London, said: "I loved it but sadly it was my worst experience.

"Last year I came third and this year I only came fourth, so I'll be back next year."

However, at least the throwing conditions were perfect.

"We had a bit of a tailwind behind us, the sun was a bit bright, but went behind the clouds - I couldn't fault it really," the 35-year-old explained.

Tasting the meaty morsels is also a part of the day's events.

Nine butchers competed for this year's Champion Sausage of Tendring and the winner was Becky's Butchers in Great Bromley with her sweet chilli sausage.

John Fairhall/BBC A row of outside sausage-shaped cut outs, resting on the grass. They each have faces painted on them in white paint and mark the distances thrown, saying 40ft, 50ft, 60ft, 80ft etc.John Fairhall/BBC
The world record of 171ft (52.12m), thrown by Todd Rothwell in 2019, still stands

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