IT was a race against time when contestants attempted to eat two-and-half feet of sausages at a country pub.

Ten teams of five hungry contestants went head-to- head to devour five sausages each when the Red Hart pub, at Kington, near Inkberrow, held its second annual sausage eating competition.

The Crowle Young Farmers and the Pickled Porkers had such close times, of approximately 15 minutes 30 seconds, that a tie breaking, stomach-churning marshmallow eat- off was held to decide the winner. Any cheating resulted in a penalty of five marshmallows.

The Young Farmers took the cup and will defend their title next year.

Dave Tew, of Greenlands, Redditch, was a sausage marshall on the night. The 21-year-old, who works at the King's Head pub, Sidbury, Worcester, had to make sure contestants did not break competition rules, such as throwing their sausages around or letting go of a baton.

He said: "The last sausage was the worst. It was great that all our friends and locals came to support us."

The night raised money for Acorn's Children's Hospice, Bath Road, Worcester.