THE War of the Roses, black pudding-style, reared its head once more as crowds flocked to Ramsbottom for the World Black Pudding Throwing Championships.

Traditionally competitors from across the world travel to the Royal Oak pub in Bridge Street to try to knock 12 giant Yorkshire puddings off 20ft scaffolding, armed with just a black pudding.

The winner, who knocks off the most Yorkshire puddings using the Lancashire missile wrapped in tights, is awarded £100 and the money raised is donated to the Stubbins Community Trust.

The record is seven Yorkshire puddings knocked down. Hundreds of spectators stopped to watch the unusual event on Sunday to see Mark Greaves from Ramsbottom triumph. Junior winner Joe Davies, also from Ramsbottom, won £20 and a medal.

They were egged on by Mayor of Bury, Councillor Steve Treadgold and his wife Jean, who stepped up to take three shots each but failed to reach the high standards.

Said Coun Treadgold: "I came to the championships last year but this is the first time I have taken part and it is a lot harder than it looks! Events like this are really important for bringing everybody together and each year it gets more interest and more people."

There are several stories behind the origins of the wacky contest, with the most popular dating back to the 1450s during the War of the Roses when both Lancashire and Yorkshire armies ran out of ammunition and threw food instead. Another theory says it was started by Yorkshire mill workers who had been to Stubbins to work and were on their way home to Yorkshire. The workers were challenged by locals who grew the event into a sport with bitter rivalry to become the only official black pudding throwing contest in the world.