Devizes celebrated Shrove Tuesday in the traditional way with pancake races in the Market Place.

For the seventh year running, Age UK Wiltshire organised the event with town mayor Pete Smith sending off teams entered by local businesses along the course along the north side of the Market Place.

Competitors had to toss their pancakes a required number of times during the relay races and stewards were ruthless in policing the rules.

Teams entered included those from Wansbroughs Solicitors, Wilkinsons, Redpin, Brogans coffee shop and Age UK Wiltshire.

In one heat, the anchor leg of Wansbroughs Solicitors was first over the line, but he was demoted for not tossing his pancake properly and the all-female team from Brogans coffee shop were declared finalists.

In the final, the Wilko team - Chris Jones, Ian Portlock and Kieran Robinson - got off to a brilliant start against Elly Moxom, Hannah Diskett, Catherine King and Molly Wrobel but only just pipped them at the line to receive the adult winners’ silver salver from Coun Smith.

There was a short delay before pupils from Wansdyke and Nursteed primary schools arrived to compete for the junior prize.

The sun shone on the event, continuing Age UK’s luck with the weather for another year.

Pancakes for the races were supplied by the Black Swan Hotel but Age UK had set up their own stall to sell freshly made pancakes to the lunchtime crowds.

Mike Weston, chairman of Age UK Wiltshire, said: “We are very grateful to all the teams who took part and all those who lent their support to the event.

“Age UK relies so much on volunteers and we can never get enough of them to help us support older people in the county.”