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Eels are off the menu
For almost 60 years, hundreds of people in Lyme Regis, west Dorset, have paraded three-feet-long flaming torches through the streets to mark the start of the annual nine-day August carnival.
As part of the historic event, a children's tug-of-war contest also takes place on the town's beach.
Although there have been no recorded instances of anyone being injured at either event, the carnival committee's insurance company says it can no longer provide cover, saying that the naked flames on the torches are a "fire hazard" and the tug-of-war could lead to injury.
As a result, the fun tug-of-war contest has been scrapped entirely, and the flaming torches replaced with tea lights.
It is the second time in as many weeks that Lyme Regis has lost traditional events because of health and safety fears.
Last weekend, conger cuddling - where people are playfully slapped with a five-foot-long dead conger eel - was banned after a complaint from an animal-rights activist.
South Wales Echo
(Brendan O'Byrne)
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