Cheese-rolling spectators gather for Cooper's Hill tradition

Thousands of people lined a steep hill in Gloucestershire to watch crowds of thrill-seekers fling themselves down in pursuit of a wheel of cheese.

The 8lb (3.6kg) Double Gloucester is chased 200 yards down the 1:2 gradient Cooper's Hill at Brockworth every year.

Chris Anderson, 28, won the first two downhill races - his 16th and 17th Cheese Rolling victories in total.

"It's brilliant, I'm really happy," said the soldier from Brockworth who serves with 1 Rifles.

Chris Anderson, who has now won 17 races in total, does not like cheese

"My friend Izzy John sadly passed away recently so this is for him and his family. He won it multiple times," he said.

"Cheese rolling is really important to Brockworth. It got cancelled in 2010 and the organisers this year have done a brilliant job and I'm really happy to win it for the community."

The official event was cancelled in 2010 over safety fears

Cooper's Hill is 200 yards long and the gradient is 1:2

Competitors travelled from across the world to take part in the races with TV crews from across Europe also in attendance.

Warning signs are put up around the site warning spectators and competitors that they are attending entirely at their own risk.

In 2010 the official event was cancelled over safety fears when more than 15,000 people turned up the previous year to watch the competition.

Since then it has been held unofficially with roads closed up to 2.5 miles (4km) around the slope.

Competitors are told they attend at their own risk