Gawthorpe coal carrying race marks 60th anniversary

The World Coal Carrying Championships marks its 60th anniversary later.

The event sees competitors haul sacks of coal through the streets of Gawthorpe, West Yorkshire, in a race to the finish line.

Organisers have received a record number of entries from people eager to take part in this year's contest.

Duncan Smith, secretary of Gawthorpe Maypole Committee, said: "Events like this are the lifeblood of a community and they mean so much."

Mr Smith said the race, which is held each year on Easter Monday, began as "a bit of banter between two men" in the local pub in 1963.

Since then it has grown in popularity and this year an additional women's race has been added to the programme for competitors over 40.

Men carry 7st 12lb (50kg) sacks of coal and women carry 3st 2lb (20kg) across a distance of 3,320 ft (1,012m), before reaching the finish line on the village's Maypole Green.

The race is timed by an original racing pigeon clock, as well as volunteers using stopwatches.

Two miners who were involved in the Lofthouse Colliery Disaster, which happened 50 years ago on 21 March 1973, have been invited as special guests to this year's anniversary event where they will present the prizes.

Mr Smith said the traditional race helps the village to keep "links with its heritage of coal mining".

"Communities are stronger and better for events like this," he said.

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