Dorset knob-throwing event attracts thousands

Thousands of people attended a "knob-throwing" competition in Dorset but did not see the world tossing record broken.

The Dorset Knob Throwing and Food Festival event in Cattistock involved participants chucking the locally-made, spherical biscuit as far as they could.

Organisers hoped a new record would be set but Dave Phillips' throw of 29.4m (96ft) in 2012 could not be beaten.

The event also featured a knob-eating contest, knob darts and a knob-a-thon.

Organiser Nigel Collins thought up the idea for the festival, which has been running since 2008, after seeing a Yorkshire pudding-throwing contest.

Knob-throwing is the "centrepiece" of the event, but Mr Collins said he kept adding games to the event.

"The knob-a-thon is a lot less strenuous than anything athletes such as Jessica Ennis-Hill or Mo Farah might compete in, but it involves taking part in at least five knob games," said Mr Collins.

Other games include putt the knob, knob walking, knob archery, guess the weight of the knob and pin the knob on the Cerne Giant.

Between 4,000 and 5,000 people are estimated to have attended this year's event.

"It was a fantastic day and I'd like to say a big thank you to all the volunteers and local producers," said Mr Collins.

The men's competition was won by Patrick Lisoire with a throw of 23.7m (77ft), the women's by Alice Cowen with a throw of 19m (62ft) and the under-12s' by Jack Courtier-Dutton with a throw of 18m (59ft).

The winners receive their winning biscuit, made by the Moores family since 1860, and a plaque, while their names are added to a board in the village hall.

The knob-eating contest started in 2012 and that year's winner Stuart Lambert still holds the record.

"He managed 14 in the one minute time limit - he was stuffing two knobs in at a time, though," Mr Collins said.

Knob-throwing rules