World Black Pudding Throwing title returns to Ramsbottom

This year’s World Black Pudding Throwing Championships took place recently in Greater Manchester, and the title has returned to Ramsbottom as Huseyin Ozluk won first place after knocking down the most puddings overall.

The tournament will go down in the history books as Mr Ozluk became the very first person to win the title twice.

The event involves the tossing of black puddings at a pile of Yorkshire puddings mounted around 20ft in the air – the winner is the person who knocks off the most.

Having last reached first place in 2009, Mr Ozluk even beat competitors in a head-to-head battle at the end to secure his accolade.

The popular competition is thought to be influenced by the War of the Roses, when the Lancastrians and their enemies in Yorkshire resorted to fighting with food once all of the ammunition had been used.

Although the very first recorded event took place in 1839, it did not become an official annual championship until 1984. Now it is held every year under tradition, and Mr Ozluk hopes to come back and defend his title in 2014.

People came from all over the world to take part in the contest, with more than 1,000 entries from people who travelled from as far away as Australia and America. There was even an increase in the number of women and children who took part, and the event was said to have provided a great boost for the small town.