Cheese rolling in Gloucester

An annual West Country tradition, where contestants chase a Double Gloucester cheese down a steep hill took place today in spite of concerns over health and safety.

Police kept a close eye on the event and closed roads up to the hill to traffic.

There were inevitably some injuries, not least to the pride of some locals when an American took the cheese in the first race.

Wesley Smith was there:

An American estate agent says he travelled to Britain especially to compete in the race after seen previous events on TV.

The field was wide open this year as regular champion cheese roller - 25-year-old soldier Chris Anderson - missed the competition having been posted overseas with 1Rifles.

The first local winner this year was Lucy Townsend, who grabbed the top prize in the women's race. The 16-year-old student, from Brockworth, also won the women's race last year.

Watch our reporter's mobile footage of the cheese rolling race

Real cheese or not, crowds from across the world gather for the start of the Cooper's Hill cheese.

There's a large police presence at this year's cheese rolling event in Gloucestershire. Traffic is being directed away from the area and parking in the area has been cordoned off.