A new dawn has broken in the pie-eating universe after a man from Wigan toppled the five-time World Pie Eating Champion to take the crown.
Bricklayer Ian Gerrard, 41, laid to rest the ghosts of 2018, when he was narrowly pipped to the title by Martin Appleton-Clare, as he defeated the reigning champion on Wednesday.
Mr Gerrard made mincemeat of a meat and potato pie in 35.4 seconds to win the Bradley Piggins Trophy at Harry’s Bar in Wigan.
The competition included a weigh-in for the title contenders as well as an undercard of future stars battling it out before the main event took place.
The pies devoured by the two pastry titans measured 12cm in diameter and were 3.5cm deep when cooked.
Pie master Tony Callaghan said: “We decided to have a very pure contest this year, with the two standouts from 2018 settling the score for the Bradley Piggins Trophy.
“If we are to be taken seriously on the world stage, then I can only see technology playing a greater and greater part.
“For instance, the scales and measuring cups we use for making pies are currently from a pound shop, but I think we may have to invest in the latest precision equipment from Asda, or even John Lewis, to match the Argos bathroom scales we’ll be using to weigh in the two contenders for UPE 27.”