Gloucestershire cheese rolling: Thousands attend world-famous event

• Ulani Seaman speaks to cheese rolling fanatics at this year's event.

Thousands of people have descended on Cooper's Hill near Gloucester for the annual cheese rolling championships.

Competitors slid, tumbled and rolled down the incline of one of the South West's steepest hills on Monday 27 May in chase of a 7lb wheel of Double Gloucester.

The world-famous event, which is now unofficial following safety concerns, attracts people from all over the world.

One woman, who had travelled from Virgina, USA said: "My mum came 30 years ago- they knew about it then and I've been wanting to come ever since."

Another from Kentucky added: "It was just as crazy as it looked on YouTube."

Taking part in the men's race was rapper and YouTuber, Speed, who has a following of more than 24 million.

He told ITV West Country: "It don't have to have meaning, it's just cheese and I'm here to win a cheese. I'm scared, I'm nervous, but I'm going for it, I don't care."

Tom Kopke, 22, from Munich took the mens title.

"I don't like this cheese, but I promised my Grandma she could have it," Tom said, holding the cheese in the air after his victory.

He added: "It's great, it feels great. I'm not hurt- I hope nobody's hurt- I don't really remember anything to be honest.

"You just start running and then the adrenaline takes over- you just go head first."

Taking the women's title was 23-year-old Abbey Lampe, from North Carolina, who also won the cheese in 2022.

At the bottom of the hill, she said: "I feel great- I was looking around to see if anyone beat me.

"I've still got all my teeth- I wore my mouthguard this time."

Others didn't take the competition quite so seriously. In the men's second race, a man dressed as a gorilla said: "It's extra padding.

"I was thinking of my shopping list. I said 'this is happening, I might as well get into a flow state.'"

Volunteers involved say the event will happen either way, so they're glad to have their hand in making it that little bit safer.

Organiser Kyla Hill said: "It'll go ahead whatever, so as someone local, it's my job to make sure it all goes smoothly.

"My biggest fear is injuries, people getting hurt. But you know, we've introduced the medical tent, fencing, it's little things like that.

"It's totally unofficial, everyone is here at their own peril."

There were no serious injuries reported at the 2024 event.