15344/07GAZETTE & HERALD: PANCAKE flippers in Chippenham's annual Shrove Tuesday race made it look easy peasy lemon squeezy by running flat out to make it the best year yet.

Onlookers were queuing on both sides of the High Street to cheer on the record number of 40 entrants.

Chippenham Mayor Ross Henning was there to present the prizes to the successful contestants.

Winners received an engraved frying pan; second place took home a bottle of maple syrup and those who didn't win their races were presented with a consolatory lemon, donated by SK Fruits.

The younger entrants, children from Wiltshire College pre-school, were given big chocolate bars with 'well done' iced onto them.

Jack Pinchis and Alexandra Indge from the pre-school came first in the last two races of the day.

Emma King of Chippenham Town Council said: "We organise it to have a bit of fun in the town and encourage businesses to enter and compete amongst themselves. Everyone enjoyed it."

The race that has been running since the mid nineties saw a flurry of crazy outfits, including Ben Grainger from Brewsters who came third in the fancy dress category. He donned their mascot, Brewster Bear's outfit.

Contestants, from companies and organisations in the town had to run the race while continuously flipping their pancakes.

Victoria Wood from Wood Awdry and Ford won the first women's race of the day with colleague Heather Wannell coming third.

They flipped blue pancakes as 34-year-old Mrs Wannell thought it would be nice to have them in the company's trademark colour.

"She stayed up very late the night before making them with her mum, who makes them every year," Mrs Wood said.

The firm have entered the race for four years running and were at a slight advantage when last year's winner revealed secret tactics on how to flip your pancake perfectly.

Mrs Wood said: "We did have a group pep talk before the race and we all got together to cheer each other on."

The team's secretaries were on the sideline dressed as cheerleaders with pom poms and lemon headbands.

"It was great fun," Mrs Wood said.

Inside the town hall the Chippenham-based Autumn Travellers' Club were cooking up pancakes throughout the event.

l Pupils at St Mary's Primary School also celebrated Shrove Tuesday in traditional style, negotiating an obstacle course while tossing a pancake.

The whole school took part in the fundraiser, which raised money for replacing IT equipment in the computer suite.

The race has been running for 16 years and school spokesperson Mary Cooke said the children always have a great time.

"It was very exciting," she said. "They enjoy raising money for the school and they like the novelty of it because its only once a year. They all get a buzz from it."

The youngsters had to weave around small cones, run through hoops, jump over poles and toss a pancake at the end of each lap.

Ten-year-old Oliver Phipps almost came to an ill-fated end when his frying pan broke during the race and he was left holding just the handle.

It was his last pancake race at St Mary's and he said he wanted to go out with a clatter.

Three teams of four adults, 'The Also Rans,' The Church and WI lined up at the end of Church Lane, Kington Langley, pans at the ready. They walked over 100 yards, tossing the pancake in four different places. Winners were presented with the Kington Langley Pancake Plate and an Easter egg. Campbell Blair was the 'Champion Tosser' of large heavy pancakes thrown like Frisbees.