New record declared at nettle eating championships

24 June 2024

News image — Women's champion Beth Hodges said her tongue went a "really funny colour"

Beth Hodges A woman holding up her right hand in a peace sign and poking out her tongue which is a green-black colour — Women's champion Beth Hodges said her tongue went a "really funny colour"

The winner of the 2024 World Nettle Eating Championships has set a new record, organisers have said.

More than 30 people, from as far afield as the US and the Netherlands, took part in the prickly contest at the Dorset Nectar Cider Farm, near Bridport, on Saturday.

Tom Wheeler, from London, ate the leaves from 116ft (35.4m) of nettle stalks to claim the men's trophy, beating last year's tally of 64ft (19.5m).

Defending women's champion Beth Hodges retained her title, consuming 64ft (19.5m) of nettles - beating her own record of 60ft (18.3m), set in 2023.

Dorset Nectar Cider Tom Wheeler - with a ginger beard and wearing a camouflage, floppy hat and tie-dyed T-shirt - claiming his trophy — Tom Wheeler, from London, claimed the men's trophy

Beth Hodges Two men and a woman standing together. The woman and one of the men are each holding a silver trophy cup. — Ms Hodges (left) retained her title, consuming 64ft (19.5m) of nettles, while Mr Wheeler (right) beat the previous men's winner by eating the leaves from 116ft (35.4m) of nettles

Ms Hodges, who travelled from Wales, said she was surprised and happy to have won again, although her hands were still painful.

"My voice is also an octave or two deeper and I'm a bit huskier," she said.

"I did really sting the inside of my mouth and your tongue goes a really funny colour but I was concentrating more on the pain in my hands, so I probably forgot about my mouth.

"The dryness is the tricky thing, and chewing them. I think it depends what the weather has been doing - this year they have been a bit hard to chew."

Dorset Nectar Cider Two men pictured at close range - the man in the foreground has dark hair and is stuffing some nettle leaves into his mouth, while the man in the background has long greying hair and a long greying beard — More than 30 people took part in the prickly contest

Beth Hodges Bethan Hodges drinking cider and giving the thumbs up during the contest. She is standing in between two men and next to a table piled up with stinging nettles. — Ms Hodges said her hands were still painful two days after the event

Formerly held at the Bottle Inn at Marshwood, which has since closed, the tradition dating back to the 1980s has been taken over by Ryan Strong at the nearby Dorset Nectar Cider Farm in Waytown.

Nettle stalks are gathered and cut into 2ft (61cm) lengths and contestants are given cider, which they can drink or dip the nettles into to moisten them.

Saturday's event was opened by Bridport Town Crier John Collingwood.

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