World Pie Eating Championships: Wigan man picks up prize on home soil for second time after "woke" rules row

A seasoned campaigner completed the double after a decade-long gap as the World Pie Eating Championships returned to Wigan. The contest to find out how fast someone can eat a meat and potato pie was back at Harry’s Bar on Wallgate. The tournament sees competitors attempt to prove that they are the upper crust in speed-eating for a chance to get their hands on the Poulet Surprise trophy.

The contest had been thrown into chaos last week after Jennifer Gregory of InnTheBar, which owns Harry’s Bar on Wallgate in Wigan, threatened legal action against its own chief executive Tony Callaghan, and demanded the competition, UPE 29 (Ultimate Pie Eating), follow "woke" health and safety regulations around speed eating as well as featuring chicken pies following flatulence issues post-previous contests.

However due to a mix-up, the contest had to revert back to meat and potato, which meant for the first time in its history those competing were allowed water to wash them down.

As the entrants lined up in front of their delicacies, Piemaster Callaghan set out the rules including a yellow card for anyone who had a spillage with any further mess resulting in a red card and disqualification.

This year’s contest was that close, the winner was decided by a pie-off. Overall victory went to Ian Coulton from Orrell who claimed the trophy for a second time adding to his previous title in 2013. Runner-up was five-times champ Martin Appleton-Clare

Ian scoffed the first pie in 37.4 seconds and the second pastry in 44.9 seconds. The 48-year-old said: “There’s no particular way of doing of it, you just need to chew it as fast as you can.

"This year there was water which made it easier but the pie wasn’t any easier to eat. I’m happy to have won it. During the play-off final I thought Martin was the clear favourite.

"This is the fourth time I’ve entered the competition and the second time I’ve won it. I’ll be putting my trophy on the mantlepiece in the front room so I can see it. If you want to compete see how fast you are at eating something, try it at home a few times. I didn’t do any training but I can eat fast and I do like eating a pie!”

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