Toe wrestling champion withdraws challenge to MP

Ben Woodroffe won in the men's category for the third year in a row this year

A champion toe wrestler says he has withdrawn his challenge to battle an MP after he failed to attend the world championships in his constituency.

Ben Woodroffe, who wrestles under the name "Toe-tal Destruction", said he invited Derbyshire Dales MP John Whitby to the event in Ashbourne in August.

But when Whitby did not attend, Mr Woodroffe put his foot down and challenged him to a toe wrestling dual.

Whitby told the BBC he had not known about the event until this week - and while he was not keen to go toe-to-toe with a champion - he would meet him to discuss the sport.

Derbyshire Dales Labour MP John Whitby said he was not keen to go toe-to-toe with a champion but would meet him to discuss the sport

He also said he would donate to mental health charity Mind, the charity the tournament chose to support this year.

The sport has been going for 50 years and is currently the subject of a documentary being filmed in Derbyshire.

Hundreds were drawn to the tournament this year in Ashbourne, described by players as the "home of toe wrestling".

Mr Woodroffe, 35, said he was "grateful" the MP had offered to donate to the charity and the two would be meeting in the coming weeks.

There are adult and junior categories at the championships

He also stood down his challenge to a match, and added: "I wouldn't expect to toe wrestle him because I would beat him, obviously.

"I might break his toe and he'd be limping into the Commons!"

The champion himself broke his toe for the first time this year in a match, his 20th year of wrestling.

Mr Woodroffe said it was important to him that Whitby attended the championship match – which he went on to win for the third year running – as one of Derbyshire's representatives.

He is hoping the MP's influence will help raise the sport to new heights and capitalise off the back of Team GB's team success at the Olympics.

His next challenge to the MP will be to formally officiate next year's championship event.