They ran, they flipped, they conquered.
Older children partake in the pancake race in Elstead.
Under a brilliant blue sky in the picturesque village of Elstead, near Farnham, crowds gathered to witness the much-anticipated return of the Big Elstead Pancake Race.
For about two decades, the race had been a cherished annual tradition, taking place every year on the weekend before Shrove Tuesday. However, after the last event in 2019, the Covid pandemic forced a hiatus. This year, its comeback was nothing short of spectacular.
With frying pans in hand, children and adults sprinted down the village street, pausing at marked points to expertly flip their pancakes. Cheers and laughter filled the air as competitors raced to the finish line.
Organiser Helen Page admitted to some pre-race jitters: “When I woke up at 3am, I had a dream that only four people turned up - so I’m thrilled by the incredible turnout.”
The adult race was won by Elstead resident Mark Scullion, 41, whose children, Sam, 5, and Francesca, 7, also took part in the kids’ races.
Mark joked that his training regimen consisted of “eating lots of pancakes.”
He added: “I’m proud to win, but really the event was about bringing the village together for a great community celebration.”
Elstead resident Tim Davies was responsible for reminding participants to “stop and flip” at the marker point during the race.
He said: “Helen has done a fantastic job bringing back the event. We thought it might be a bit low-key, but we’ve had an amazing turnout.”
After the races, residents made their way to the village hall for a pancake-flipping competition, well-earned refreshments, and, of course, plenty of freshly made pancakes to enjoy.
The event was organised to raise funds for Charlie’s Promise, a charity that aims to prevent knife crime.