As it happened: Annual cheese rolling races take place

1. The annual cheese rolling event in Gloucestershire sees competitors chase a Double Gloucester down a steep hill
2. The first to the bottom wins the wheel of cheese - but the race often sees those racing falling and tumbling down
3. Tom from Germany wins the first men's race, racing down Cooper's Hill in a high viz jacket
4. YouTuber IShowSpeed escapes first race with bruises but fails to win
5. Abby from North Carolina - a previous winner - scoops up the cheese in the first women's race
6. Her rolling technique makes her champion - and leaves mud all over her face
7. Orian and Louis win the first children's uphill race bagging themselves a wheel of cheese each
8. Dylan wins very close second men's race which saw competitors tumble down hillside
9. "Fellas, I told you I'd win it," he tells Australian friends
10. Josh from Brockworth wins the third men's race - his second success in cheese rolling races

That's it for 2024

We're wrapping up our coverage of the cheese rolling event.

Hope you have enjoyed sharing this eccentric English tradition that draws people from across the world to Gloucestershire.

Here are the best bits...enjoy

A round-up of today's thrills and spills from Cooper's Hill in Gloucestershire.

Here are some of today's cheese rolling highlights

In pictures: Cheese rolling 2024

PA Media

Abby Lamp from the USA won the women's race for the second time

PA Media

Tom from Germany was the first winner of the day

PA Media

Youtuber IShowSpeed, left in white top, was taken to the medical tent after the first men's race

PA Media

Competitors found themselves in all sorts of awkward positions

BBC

Today's womens race in full swing after a false start threw competitors off

BBC

Spectators find any vantage point they can to watch the races

'A lovely day out'

It's not just been about the contestants, thousands of people flocked to Gloucestershire today to witness the mayhem of the cheese rolling races.

Spectator describes 'family atmosphere' at cheese rolling event

The full Cooper's Hill experience

This clip shows one of the men's races from today from multiple angles.

Thinking of taking part next year? Maybe watch this first...

Watch the first men's cheese rolling race

Local hero takes final race

BBC

Josh Shepherd from Brockworth wins the 3rd mens race of the day

As the offical races of the 2024 cheese rolling event comes to an end, we have our first local winner.

Josh Shepherd from Brockworth won the third men's race of the day.

It's his second time winning the race and he said he "had to bring it home for Brockworth".

WATCH: Slow motion replay

Watch the men's runners tumble down Cooper's Hill

One of the best ways to appreciate the true nature of the cheese rolling is to watch it in slow motion.

Pick one contestant and track their "progress" down Cooper's Hill.

Gorilla 'loses head' on way down

Competitor in gorilla costume loses head and feet

Ollie took on the hill in a gorilla costume, shedding both his head and feet on the way down.

He compared the challenge as being "like yoga", presumably with his tongue firmly in his cheek.

Taking the cheese back to Perth

Cheese rolling winner 'slightly surprised' to win

So far much of the glory has been taken by competitors from overseas.

We've had winners from Germany, the USA, and also Dylan Twist from Perth in Western Australia.

'Roll with it' says USA winner

After a false start threw contestants off guard, Abby Lampe hurtled her way down to the finish line.

It wasn't her first rodeo - Abby, from the USA, won the women's race in 2022.

Her tips for winning the race: "You just have roll."

PA Media

Abby Lampe is crowned second time winner

'Thorns dig into your hands'

'Thorns dug into your hand'

Children race uphill these days on Cooper's Hill, to avoid being exposed to possible injury.

But that doesn't mean it's easy going...

'I'm not going to eat it'

'I'm not eating it'

Despite not being a big fan of cheese, Orian won the under-11s uphill race in her first-ever attempt.

But she said that she had no plans to eat the prize after putting in a strong effort to claim it.

Image captures the mayhem

PA Media

This picture taken by the Press Association sums up the eccentric scene on Cooper's Hill.

Arms and legs flailing out of control, the contestants bounce, slip and slide down the hill in the first men's race today.

As more than one person has said down the years, you need to have a certain mindset to even consider taking on the cheese rolling.

'I want to do it again'

'I want to do it again because I know how to win now'

Globally famous influencer IShowSpeed said he wanted a second crack at the daunting slope of Cooper's Hill after taking part in the first men's race today.

"I want to do it again. I know how to win," he told BBC Points West reporter Steve Knibbs after a trip to the medical tent.

Australian takes second men's race

BBC

Dylan Twist is from Perth in Australia

Continuing the global theme, Dylan Twist from Perth in Australia took the cheesy prize in today's second men's race.

When asked about his technique, he said: "I was trying to stay on my feet, then I started rolling so I had to go with it."

Dylan had this message for his friends back at home: "Fellas, I told you I'd win it. So there we go!"

'There's no going back'

'Once you start with cheese rolling there's no going back'

German competitor Tom, who won today's first race on Cooper's Hill, has pledged to return to defend his title in 2025.

"With the cheese rolling, once you start there's no going back" he said.

Youtuber IShowSpeed in medical tent

BBC

American Youtuber and rapper Darren Watkins, better known as IShowSpeed, is taking part in Gloucestershire's famous tradition.

But Cooper's Hill is no respecter of celebrity status.

The influencer, who has more than 24 million subscribers, had to take a trip to the medical tent after he was bashed and bruised from tumbling down the hill.

The races to come

Here's what's left to come from Cooper's Hill today. You can watch all the races by clicking the play button at the top of this page.

13:00:Women's downhill race

13:15:Adults mixed uphill race (18+)

13:30: 3rd Men's downhill race

The show doesn't always go on

Getty Images

It may have been happening for centuries but the cheese rolling has been cancelled a handful of times in the past.

It was called off during the foot and mouth crisis of 2001 and during the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020–21.

The event also had a tumultuous time in 2009 when it was cancelled due to concerns over health and safety.

The official event was axed after more than 15,000 people turned up, sparking safety fears over the size of the crowd.

It was also called off in 2010 and 2011 because the organisers said they were facing abuse.

In 2014 the race was cancelled because of an earthquake in Algeria - yes, really.

The then race organisers had to cancel at short notice after a rescue team from Rapid UK, who would have been on hand on to help with injuries, were sent to Algiers.

A world-famous event

BBC

The event attracts competitors from all over the world - Delaney Irving from British Columbia in Canada won one of the races last year.

It was a mixed day for the 20-year-old, who was knocked unconscious as she crossed the finishing line.

"I was sensitive to lights and felt very dizzy over the following week," she told BBC West reporter Emma Elgee this week.

"My body was very bruised and I had scrapes and cuts all over from the rocks and twigs on the hill."

So what did she do with the cheese she won?

"I ate the cheese at my house on Vancouver Island with friends and family. We paired it with crackers and spread, melted it for nachos and used it in pasta dishes We also gave other people slices of the cheese to try."

Looking back at the experience from the Pacific North West, thousands of miles from Cooper's Hill, Delaney - who is studying theatre at university - says she would recommend taking part to anyone who is an "adrenaline seeker". But...

"It can be a dangerous race so take that into consideration before you throw yourself down a hill!".

Taking on Cooper's Hill brought unexpected levels of fame.

"The weeks following the event were filled with interviews from news stations from everywhere. I was interviewed by people in the UK, Australia and even Norway.

"My friend from Honduras said that I was in a newspaper there as well."