Disastrous news from deepest, darkest Gloucestershire this morning. It seems the official Cheese Rolling Organising Committee have cancelled this year's annual Cooper's Hill event. The reason, apparently, is because of healthy and safety fears (Daily Mail readers take note here and get your fingers ready for a spot of wagging).
I fulfilled a lifelong dream by going along to the Hill last year to watch what is quite frankly the most absurd, but brave 'sport' ever invented. The site of a horde of men and women throwing themselves down this brutal, uneven hill in pursuit of a few pounds of cheese is impossible to describe really. YouTube videos give a decent approximation of the action, but really you have to be there in the flesh, if only to appreciate just how steep the hill is, and how fast they run down it.
To be honest, I can see why they've cancelled it - according to reports out today, 15,000 people attended last last year, on a site designed to hold 5,000. As one of those wedged onto the side of a 60 degree hill in gentle rain, trying not to fall over whilst also stretching to see the action, I can sympathise with their reasons.
At the same time though, you have to hope that it really does return next year, in whatever format. It's a wonderfully quirky, painfully addictive, utterly bizarre relic of the traditions of old, and a reminder that when humans put their mind to it, they really can have good, simple, (relatively) harmless fun.
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