Harwich Sausage Festival draws 200 people despite bad weather

More than 200 people still showed up in good numbers to the Harwich Sausage Festival on Saturday, despite the baltic weather.

The annual event began in 2011 as a means of promoting independent butchers and real ale, but it was also an excuse to host an event and foster some fun competition.

Announcement – town crier Richard Bench reads out a proclamation to the crowds (Image: Steve Brading)

This year there was the added bonus of a new trophy which was recently unveiled at ‘Sausage HQ’, or the New Bell pub, as it is better known outside sausage circles.

Determined – Carl Hoffman unleashes a left-handed throw (Image: Steve Brading)

The day began as it always does – with a sausage procession to Harwich Green before the sausage throwing competition started at 11.30am.

Effort – Todd Rothwell looks pleased with his throw at Harwich Green (Image: Steve Brading)

No good food goes to waste, of course, given the projectiles are out of date sausages from nearby supermarkets.

Keen – a youngster lobs a sausage as far as she can (Image: Steve Brading)

Explaining how the festival came about, co-organiser Richard Oxburrow – who spoke on behalf of what he describes as the Tendring CAMRA Sausage Sub Committee – said the event came as a pre-cursor to the Harwich Beer Festival.

He said: “The original thinking was that it was a pre-cursor to the beer festival we used to run – we met as a group do that and one day we inexplicably started taking about sausages.

“Then, somebody came up with the idea of a sausage festival to see how far a sausage could be thrown – we thought ‘we’ve actually got to do this’.

Measurement – Richard Diaper braves the cold with a measuring tape (Image: Steve Brading)

“We started it from the ground up and it has been the same ever since.”

Prepared – Mark Price was wrapped up warm for the conditions (Image: Steve Brading)

The idea may be “silly” and “whacky” – to use Mr Oxburrow’s own words – but that is all part of the fun.

Racket – a trombonist whips up some atmosphere (Image: Steve Brading)

The winning throw of 84.5ft was hurled by Peter Swift on behalf of Becky’s Butchers.

Scoresheet – the heavy rain made it difficult to keep a record of the throwers' distances (Image: Steve Brading)

The other competing butchers were Chas Bower, Frinton Road Butchers, Pier Avenue Butchers, Ramsey Master Butchers, Ragmarsh Farm Shop, Shaws Farm Meats, Smith’s Butchers, and Wallis’s Farm Shop.

Windswept – Harry Wheeler shows the affects of the weather before one of his efforts (Image: Steve Brading)

When it came to taste, the sausage which received the most votes was the Frinton Road Butchers, with an Italian sausage.