Every year on the Whit bank Holiday (30th May, 2005) hundreds of suicidal souls chase a big Double Gloucester cheese down a steep grassy knoll near Brockworth in Goucestershire.
The tradition is several hundred years old, and it would appear that no one knows exactly why the event started - or indeed why people still partake. Possible origins are Phoenician ceremonies, Roman ceremonies or even ancient fertility rites (although quite how chasing a cheese down a hill demonstrates fertility is anyones guess).
The event is coordinated by a Master of Ceremonies who oversees the launching of the cheese, the prize giving ceremony and the wake afterwards.
Past cheese-rolling races have ended with several people injured. the 1997 Cheese-rolling saw 18 competitors and several spectators injured - with several head injuries.Safety fears halted the 1998 event after the previous year's event ended in mayhem with 18 competitors and several onlookers injured.
The event is attended by 4,000 spectators each year. The 1st prize (the first person down the hill after the cheese) is the Double Gloucester cheese itself. Second prize is a fiver.
Before anyone considers signing up for this foolhardy event I would suggest watching this video
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire/focus/features/cheese3.ram (Needs RealPlayer).
The official event website is here: http://www.cheese-rolling.co.uk/