A HOTLY fought contest is expected when the world stinging nettle eating championship gets under way on Saturday June 19.

The event, which attracts plucky contenders from across Europe, will again take place at The Bottle Inn, Marshwood.

The action starts at 6.30pm when contestants will be given two foot long stalks of stinging nettles and have one hour to eat as many leaves as possible. The winner is the person with the longest length of empty stalk left on his ‘plate’.

They will be aiming to beat the world record held by Simon Slee, 49, who devoured 76ft in blistering speed. Entries are limited to 65 and competitors should arrive no later than 5.30pm on the day.

This year’s contest will again be combined with the Bottle Inn’s annual family fun festival which runs from June 18 to Sunday 20.

l Nettles first reared their ugly stalks at The Bottle Inn in 1986, with The Longest Stinging Nettle Competition launched after two lady farmers had an argument over which of them had the longest nettles on their land.

This evolved after a competitor was so sure he had the longest nettle that he promised to eat any longer entry. A longer one was found and the art of nettle eating was born.