Hundreds of revellers flock to market town to watch annual World Black Pudding Throwing Championships

Hundreds of revellers lined the streets of Bury on Sunday as the annual World Black Pudding Throwing Championships hit the town. The quirky event has been a yearly tradition in the quaint Greater Manchester market town for more than three decades, but was cancelled last year following the death of its long-term leader. It is said to have been inspired by a bitter 1455 battle in nearby Stubbins during the Wars of the Roses – fought between the House of Lancaster and the House of York. The championship sees competitors lob three black puddings each at a 25ft-high scaffolding tower with Yorkshire puddings placed on top of it. The aim is to knock off as many of the savoury snacks as possible. The beloved tradition also attracts a host of spectators, who can enjoy live music, food stalls and children's activities. And spirits were high this weekend as the Black Pudding Championships returned to Bury, with scores of revellers seen crowded into a tight street while the event got underway. Pictures showed competitors, including young children, laughing and joking while taking part in festivities which began at around 11am this morning and finished at 5pm. The person who manages to knock off the most Yorkshire puddings wins £100, a trophy and the title of World Black Pudding Throwing Champion for a calendar year. Hundreds of revellers flocked to Bury on Sunday for the annual World Black Pudding Throwing Championships The event, held every year for more than three decades in Greater Manchester, sees competitors try to knock Yorkshire puddings off a tower with black puddingsA man is pictured trying his luck with a black pudding on Sunday as scores of spectators watch onThe event was cancelled last year following the death of its long-term organiser, but returned in style this weekend Celebrations got underway at 11am this morning with live music - and didn't finish until around 5pmThe championship, however, sparked controversy only last month when Animal Rights campaigners demanded vegan alternatives be used instead of black puddings. The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Foundation said it was wrong for the 'blood and fat' of pigs to be hurled 'for a bit of fun'. It added: 'It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt. In the case of the World Black Pudding Throwing Championship, someone does indeed get hurt: pigs.' The campaigners also said they would pay for 'cruelty-free' options instead of the Yorkshire puddings and the bloody sausages thrown towards them.Paul Jenkins, who organises the annual event, fought back by arguing that the 'quintessential British event' already offered vegan alternatives to its competitors.And while he said the championships would not make the use of vegan alternatives compulsory, he said people who opted for them were 'more than welcome to'.The event got underway with local band the Bolton Caledonia pipers playing at 10.30am. A short time later, competitors had their black puddings at the ready. All proceedings from the day are being donated to Bury Hospice and the Ramsbottom Pantry.Jacob Vahey travelled from Hull as part of his mission to complete the '365 Sports Challenge', which will see him compete in 365 different sports events on every day of the year. He is doing so to raise money for the mental health charity Campaign Against Living Miserably. Jacob arrived at the very beginning of the day and stayed into the afternoon, completing three rounds of black pudding throwing. He said: 'I'm doing the challenge in memory of two friends that we sadly lost to suicide. It started on October 1 last year, so I'm most of the way through the challenge now, I'm getting towards the back end of it.'I found out about the black pudding championship a few weeks ago just from searching for weird annual sports and it was a no brainer. I was on holiday yesterday, so I flew back last night just in time for today. A young girl lobs a black pudding directly on top of a pile of five Yorkshire puddings'I got to Manchester Airport about 11pm yesterday, stayed at my brother's house and then it's back to Hull tonight and back at work tomorrow.'I really enjoyed it, it was definitely unique but that's what makes an entertaining challenge and that's what brings so many people to it.'It's up there as one of the weirdest sports I've done so far - right up there with gravy wrestling and bog snorkelling in terms of top tier weirdness.'Mr Jenkins, chair of the event's organising committee, said: 'When this first started, it started as a little tiny community event at one local pub. Now the whole of Ramsbottom gets together for the second weekend in September and we do this ridiculous thing in the centre of the street.'We're making huge amounts of money for the Bury Hospice and the Ramsbottom Pantry just from everybody having a good time. Kids are on the funfair, people are down at the stalls, people are enjoying some food out and the sunshine is staying with us somehow.'We've got volunteers everywhere working, picking up puds, climbing up ladders, doing things that are not regular, are not normal. And I think that's kind of right for Ramsbottom - we don't quite do things as everybody else does. We just do our own version of life and we enjoy it together.'