Gravy and beer make it a splendid bank holiday
THERE was liquid refreshment aplenty as the Valley basked in a bumper, beery Bank Holiday weekend.
The World Gravy Wrestling Championships made their annual splash at a sun-soaked Rose ‘n’ Bowl, pints were sunk at weekend-long beer festivals and there was even a charity Bake Off.
Eighteen courageous contestants clambered and slid their way through gruelling two-minute bouts, hurling each other to the ground and soaking the baying crowds with viscous gravy at Monday’s gravy wrestling. The bizarre sport is a longstanding tradition at the Stacksteads pub, where landlord John Lowe has run the event for nine years in aid of the East Lancashire Hospice. This year, gravy bombs were all part of the mix and made the event the messiest to date.
Almost 2,000 people attended the first Helms- hore Beer Festival at Kiln Clough Farm, with Mayor Granville Morris saying a few words.
Organiser Barney Vines thanked everyone who attended, as well as all the local companies who supplied the successful event.
Haslingden Cricket Club hosted its fourth annual beer festival, with guest ales from across the North West and local breweries.
Club chairman Ian Cameron said: “We had around 1,000 people there over the course of the weekend – it was a great success.”
A beer festival was also held at Bacup Cricket Club, while at The Red Lion in Higher Cloughfold a baking competition raised funds for the Rossendale Rays special needs swimming club. Entries were judged by comedian Ted Robbins and his daughter Molly with Heather Spencer and Tony Brennan the winners. Despite the good cheer there was disappointment as heavy rain scuppered the Limey Valley Summer Fete.