Fig Pie wakes - Mr Minions encourages the crowd to cheer on the rollers (1)

Thousands enjoyed the return of the Wybunbury Fig Pie Wakes event yesterday (June 11) for the first time since 2019 due to the pandemic, writes Jonathan White.

Fig pies, made from a traditional recipe containing a hard pastry, were rolled from The Swan Inn pub down Main Road to see how far they would travel.

The honour of rolling the first fig pie this year was bestowed on the popular children’s character Mr Minions.

He handed out sweets to junior competitors and encouraged the crowd to cheer on the rollers.

The 2nd annual inter-schools pie rolling race took place this year between Wybunbury Delves CE Primary School and Bridgemere CE Primary School for the ‘Wybunbury Fig Pie Wakes Lewis Crossley Memorial Shield’.

Wybunbury Delves CE Primary School rolled their pie the longest and retained the Shield.

Former pupil Lewis Crossley died aged seven after a courageous two-year battle against T-Cell Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

A charity – Team Lewis Trust – was founded in his memory and are fundraising to support research into the type of leukaemia he fought against.

The Shield was proudly received by Wybunbury Delves CE Primary School ambassadors Ava-Lily and Grace.

The Under 10s race was won by Cameron Nelson, who received a cup and voucher.

Under 16’s race winner Joshua O’Donnell (1)
Under 16’s race winner Joshua O’Donnell (1)

The Under 16s race was won by Joshua O’Donnell, who received a cup and voucher.

The Adult race was won by Nick Wilson, from Wybunbury, with a new record roll of 151.9 metres, who won a trophy, a bottle of wine and a large Joseph Heler Cheese.

Mark Walker, Chair of Wybunbury Preservation Trust, compered the event and announced the winners of the fig pie races and grand prize raffle.

Wybunbury Tower was open to the public – new bell ringers are welcome every Thursday at 8pm.

There was also a grand raffle, various stalls, and refreshments.

The Baker Street Belles sang, and children’s entertainer Professor Lucerne performed Punch & Judy and balloon art by the Tower.

The Swan Inn hosted a display of steam traction engines, vintage cars and high striker strongman game.

The Red Lion pub had live music and a classic European and American car display.

The sponsors were Martin Davies – Nantwich Osteopaths and Cheshire Lamont estate agents.

Wybunbury Fig Pie Wakes is organised by the Wybunbury Tower Preservation Trust and dates back at least 200 years though stopped in 1920.

The event was reprised in 1995, when the Wybunbury Tower Preservation Trust revived it to raise money for the upkeep of their historic leaning tower in the village.

Proceeds from several of the stalls goes to village charities and groups.

(All images courtesy of Jonathan White)

A fig pie is rolled in the Adult race (2) (1)
A fig pie is rolled in the Adult race
Competitor Jamie Hood celebrates having rolled one of longest throws of the day (1)
Competitor Jamie Hood celebrates one of longest throws of the day
Adult race winner Nick Wilson from Wybunbury receives trophy from Mark Walker, Chair of Wybunbury Preservation Trust (1)
Adult race winner Nick Wilson receives trophy from Mark Walker, Chair of Wybunbury Preservation Trust
A fig pie is rolled in the Adult race (1) (1)
Another fig pie is rolled
The Swan Inn hosted a display of steam traction engines, vintage cars and high striker strongman game (1)
The Swan Inn hosted a display of steam traction engines, vintage cars and high striker strongman game
The Baker Street Belles sing adjacent to Wybunbury Tower (1)
The Baker Street Belles sing adjacent to Wybunbury Tower
Steam traction engines outside The Swan Inn with Wybunbury Tower in the background
Steam traction engines outside The Swan Inn with Wybunbury Tower in the background
Visitor Mark Ray views a Dodge Dart GT at The Red Lion (1)
Visitor Mark Ray views a Dodge Dart GT at The Red Lion
Wybunbury Fig Pie Wakes and Wybunbury Tower (1)
Wybunbury Fig Pie Wakes and Wybunbury Tower

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