WHATEVER the weather sweet treat connoisseurs proved the Wimborne Minster pancake race can always take place.

For the first time in 21 years pancake tossers also proved that the race can be held inside the Minster.

The 22-strong field of adult runners raced on at a time and were ranked on a time basis round the centre of the Minster, tossing their Pancakes at the four corners.

The five toddlers ran up and down the centre of the Nave, while the first and middle school ages followed the course of the adults, but in pairs.

In total 63 runners across 39 races took part, raising £88 for the Mayor's charities.

Philip Goymer from Savills won the adult races for the third year in succession and so became the Minster pancake champion 2018 claiming the new John Loader Memorial Trophy donated by Kathy and Martyn Curtler.

It replaced the Old Bakehouse Café Perpetual Challenge Cup, which was presented when the pancake races were revived in 1998 after an absence of some 16 years. This trophy has now been presented to the Priest House Museum for safekeeping.

The new trophy is in memory of Kathy Curtler’s father, John Loader, who was very involved in town affairs.

The toddlers event was won by Henry Tappenden, with Luke Hudson winning the first schools age group and Albert Van der Feltz the middle schools age group.