Hundreds celebrate Harlech steepest street title

A party has been held in Harlech to celebrate its new status as the town with the steepest street in the world.

It comes after Guinness World Records found Ffordd Pen Llech in Gwynedd, to be steeper than previous record holder Baldwin Street, in New Zealand.

About 200 people turned up to the party on Saturday, which was held in a park about half way up the street.

"It was such a lovely day - we had a really good turnout," said Judith Strevens, one of the organisers.

"We did it as close to the street as possible because it would have been impossible to have it on the street itself."

Ffordd Pen Llech's gradient was measured at 37.45%, while Baldwin Street, in Dunedin, has a gradient of 35% at its steepest.

Campaigner Gwyn Headley's research found the street was the steepest in Great Britain, though a different methodology was used to calculate Baldwin Street.

They engaged surveyors and measurements taken in January showed Fordd Pen Llech had a one in 2.67 gradient at its steepest part, compared with Baldwin Street's one in 2.86.

Ms Strevens said people particularly enjoyed Batala Bermo, a "samba reggae" drum band from Barmouth which performed on the street and in the park.

There was also face painting and a large quantity of Malteser chocolate balls were released down the hill, she added.

"Some garden is probably going to be full of Maltesers," Ms Strevens joked.

The main celebrations took part in a park about half way up the hill