This year’s Pancake Day will have been celebrated by the cooking and eating of the delicious treats in homes up and down the country this morning.
But the event has also been marked with the return of centuries-old traditions in northern England and London.
In Ashbourne, Derbyshire, the Royal Shrovetide Football game is is taking place. It sees the Up’ards and the Down’ards take to the streets where they compete to tap a ball three times on stone plinths which act as goals.
The annual two-day spectacle, which sees players carry the ball across a boundary-free pitch as volunteer stewards keep a watchful eye, has been played from at least 1667 and looks more like a game of rugby than football.
As the players run from opposite ends of the town for the fierce game, local shops close early and board up as if preparing for a riot.
The match is played from 2 to 10 pm on both Shrove Tuesday and the following day, Ash Wednesday, but goals are rare because of the size of the pitch.
Elsewhere, a multitude of pancake races have seen participants young and old precariously carry their floury creations through the streets in front of hundreds of spectators.
At Leadenhall Market’s race, in East London, an elderly woman was seen concentrating deeply as she flipped her pancake while surrounded by a throng of onlookers.
And outside Winchester Cathedral, in Hampshire, a young chorister in full regalia wielded his frying pan as older spectators watched on with delight.
Pancake Day has been marked with the return of centuries-old traditions in northern England and London. In Ashbourne, Derbyshire, the Royal Shrovetide Football game is is taking place. It sees the Up’ards and the Down’ards take to the streets where they compete to tap a ball three times on stone plinths which act as goals
The annual two-day spectacle, which sees players carry the ball across a boundary-free pitch as volunteer stewards keep a watchful eye, has been played from at least 1667 and looks more like a game of rugby than football
Elsewhere, a multitude of pancake races have seen participants young and old precariously carry their floury creations through the streets in front of hundreds of spectators. At Leadenhall Market’s race, in East London, an elderly woman was seen concentrating deeply as she flipped her pancake while amid a throng of onlookers
And outside Winchester Cathedral, in Hampshire, a young chorister in full regalia wielded his frying pan as older spectators watched on with delight
Participants dressed up to take part in the Windsor and Eton Flippin’ Pancake Challenge in Windsor, Berkshire, on Tuesday. Pictured: A woman looks to the sky as she carries her frying pan and pancake while dressed as a chef
Hundreds also took part in their own version of a brutal Pancake Day game in Sedgefield, County Durham as residents were seen tussling for a ball
Scrum! The Sedgefield Ball Game has been played, with a leather ball the size of a hockey puck, for nearly a thousand years
I’m going to get there first! The game is generally a good-natured affair but has descended into violence in the past
The game in Ashbourne (pictured) sees players carry the ball across a boundary-free pitch as volunteer stewards keep a watchful eye, has been played from at least 1667 and looks more like a game of rugby than football
The match is played from 2 to 10 pm on both Shrove Tuesday and the following day, Ash Wednesday, but goals are rare because of the size of the pitch
Batter the devil you know! Shrove Tuesday fans share bizarre toppings – including TUNA – pancake masterpieces and some spectacular flipping fails
- Pancake fans have been sharing their tossing fails, arty creations and strange toppings on social media
- Sports reporter Ian Abrahams took to Twitter this morning to remind fans once again that he likes to top his pancakes with a can of tinned tuna, leaving sugar and lemon purists aghast
- Radio 2 DJ Sara Cox showed her flipping fail in a video that saw her pancake ending up on the kitchen floor
- Some have turned their hand to pancake art, creating batter versions of animals, pop stars and bicycles
By Jo Tweedy for MailOnline
Shrove Tuesday enthusiasts have been sharing their pancake adventures on social media – including less-than-conventional toppings, flipping fails and some batter masterpieces.
In the Christian calendar, the day marks a final day of feasting before Lent officially begins tomorrow. Social media is showing that the traditional Mardi Gras treat – fluffy discs of flour, milk and eggs whisked together and quickly fried – can take on many forms.
Pancake fans have been getting busy in the kitchen – with varying results. For every creative design that looks too pretty too eat – think squirrels, pop stars, bicycles – there’s plenty more photos showing sad piles of batter on the kitchen floor.
Scroll down for video
Radio 2 drivetime DJ Sara Cox shared a video of her tossing a pancake in her kitchen at home in North London this morning…but it didn’t end well for the television star
Shrove Tuesday crimes: Sports reporter Ian Abrahams took to Twitter this morning to remind people he likes to top his pancakes – made with a supermarket mix – with a can of tinned tuna, leaving pancake purists aghast
And Abrahams isn’t the only one who likes tuna on a crepe, with this Twitter user sharing his boss’ love of tuna and white sauce on pancakes
Worldwide Cancer Research shared a photo of beaming communications executive, known as Rachel, tucking into a plate of tinned spaghetti atop a circle of pancake this morning. Right: A close-up of the spaghetti worms in tomato sauce
Bacon, maple syrup and pancakes might feel wrong on the British side of the Pond but plenty of UK fans admitted it was their perfect Shrove Tuesday combo
When sports broadcaster Ian ‘Moose’ Abrahams shared his annual snap of how he likes to enjoy a Shrove Tuesday breakfast – with a ready-made supermarket batter and a can of tinned tuna – he was greeted with the same annual response: derision at his unconventional topping.
He’s not alone is shunning the traditional foolproof sugar and lemon combo; Worldwide Cancer Research shared a photo of beaming communications executive, known as Rachel, tucking into a plate of tinned spaghetti atop a circle of pancake.
Bacon, maple syrup and pancakes might feel wrong on the British side of the Pond but plenty of UK fans admitted it was their perfect Shrove Tuesday combo
Enough to make a cat laugh: This pooch wore a pancake mask to mark Shrove Tuesday. Right: A train announcing board makes a playful pun on London’s famous station
Why eat it when you can wear it? This pancake fan makes a mask out of her Shrove Tuesday delight
While some batter artists recreated their hip hop idols – Tupac is seen in the pan above, others tried their hand at woodland animals. Right: this thin-looking pancake doubles up as a squirrel, complete with honey-coloured dappling on its back
Pacha pancake? This clubbing fan spells out Ibiza in batter form, while a cycling enthusiast has some wheely good fun with a frying pamn
Anyone looking for pancake fails will find them on social media, there’s crepes stuck to the ceiling and the floor, a pancake that took on a phallic shape in the pan and what can only be described as scrambled pancake.
One Twitter user remarked ‘good job I’m married’ after posting a photo of a chaotic batter mess.
Elsewhere, there was plenty of pancake art to behold. Why would you make a pancake to eat when you could wear it as a mask?
Others spent time painstakingly recreating their idols – including late rapper Tupac and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle – in batter; none of which looked particularly appetising.
Awesome! This Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle creation is an uncanny resemblance to Leonardo
Good enough to eat: this pancake pooch is served up with Nutella and banana slices
Daytime telly got in on the pancake action too, with Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield reaching for the frying pan on Tuesday’s This Morning – departing the ITV studios to flip pancakes.
In a bid to beat the world record for pancake flipping, the duo were tossing pancakes from a pan beside a vast measuring tape before later tucking in to the sweet treats which were whisked up by Ainsley Harriott.
Higher and higher: Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield with Ainsley Harriott attempt a world record for tossing pancakes during the This Morning show
The trio were attempting to beat the world record, which is listed as: ‘The highest pancake toss measured 9.47 m (31 ft 1 in) and was achieved by Dominic Cuzzacrea (USA) at Walden Galleria Mall in Cheektowaga, New York, USA, on 13 November 2010. Dominic beat his own previous record by 30 cm (11.8 in).’
Trying to be a fluffy American-style pancake…and failing miserably
Crispy on the outside, stodgy in the middle…a recipe for pancake disaster. Right: This creation is a million miles from the circle it was supposed to be
Accidentally phallic: this crepe had a life of its own in the pan
Scrambled pancake! All the icing sugar in the world can’t help this crumbled mess