Hinckley Pancake Race a Great Success

Posted on Friday 25 March 2011 in the 'Press' category

- - - news story from Leicester Mercury web site - - -

Leicestershire town's wacky races are batter than all the rest!

Fun-seekers had a flipping good time when they turned out for a town's first-ever pancake races. The Shrove Tuesday treat, in Hinckley, attracted 40 entrants.

One of the first to flip was Rose Davies, 46, who came along to the races dressed as Superwoman. Rose said: "It's lovely to see people cheering."

Her son, Dexter, who also took part, said: "It was a good laugh. I got beaten by two girls. One was Superwoman and the other was a jogger."

Gemma France, 18, from Burbage, turned out dressed as a Smurf. She said: "I came fourth so I didn't do too well, but it was loads of fun."

David Inglis, 32, from Braunstone, sorted out a last minute silky Spanish flamenco look from the Mind charity shop for his race outfit. He said: "I came first in the first race but then dropped my pancake in the second.
"I think the races are a brilliant idea."

There was also a team made up of staff from Twycross Zoo dressed as a raccoon, a monkey and a frog , but the victor on the day was Sarah Beaty, 19, of Romans Health and Leisure Club, at Sketchley Grange Hotel, Burbage. She said: "This is my first pancake race and it is the first one in Hinckley for 100 years, apparently. I had great fun.There was great rivalry and I loved it."

The event was arranged by Hinckley Town Centre Partnership as a project by the Hinckley Business Improvement District, intended to attract people into the town. Spokesman Steve Wegerif said: "We're delighted with it. It's great to have so many people, more than I thought there would be considering it is a working day."

Councillor Rob Mayne, deputy mayor of Hinckley and Bosworth, said: "It's tremendous that we are at long last having a pancake race in Hinckley. "It is lovely to see the characters taking part and everything like this is good for the borough. We are trying to put the place on the map."

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