It’s true that no one loves a pie quite like us Northerners, but it seems there’s a Southerner giving us a run for our money.
Reckon you’ve got an appetite for pies?
Well, whatever you think about the size of your stomach when it comes to pastry chomping, the likelihood is that it isn’t as large as that of Max Stanford.
Amateur competitive eater Max – who is known as Max vs Food online and is currently ranked number two in the British Eating League – recently took on a pie and mash challenge and scoffed down 18 pies, as well as seven large helpings of mash and liquor, all in less than 45 minutes.
Yes, as mad as it sounds, he managed to defeat this 8,000 calorie beast in under an hour.
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Max Stanford
The London-native completed the challenge at well-known traditional pie and mash eatery Manzes in Peckham and successfully consumed a five kilogram plate that was said to be “the size of a toddler” in just three quarters of an hour.
Speaking to LADbible about tackling the challenge, Max said: “I ate 18 traditional beef pies and seven portions of mash and liquor weighting a total of 5kg/11lb from Manze’s Pie and Mash shop in Peckham, which I finished in 43 minutes.
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“It was definitely one of the hardest and biggest food challenges I have ever done.”
He’s managed to complete a wide range of challenges in the past, but nothing compares to this one.
He continued: “I could think of nothing better than pie, mash and liquor. I’ve always gone to the Manzes pie and mash shop throughout my childhood with my Dad.”
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Taking to social media to congratulate “incredibly nice guy” Max on successfully completing the challenge, Manzes Pie and Mash said: “We welcomed Max into our Peckham shop. [He] has grown up eating pie and mash and he wanted to challenge himself – well boy did he do that,
“18 pies, [seven] mash and a load of liquor in under 45 minutes – he awaits a challenger.”
They also wished him “good luck” with the competitive eating and admitted that he is “smashing it”.
You can watch Max conquer the 8,000 calories on YouTube here:
We’re full from just watching that.
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After successfully managing to pull off this monster of a challenge, we think Max deserves an honorary Northerner title for this one, right? He could relocate to Wigan anytime.
Nice one, mate.
You can keep up to date with Max Stanford’s latest eating challenges on Instagram and YouTube.
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RFL give the go-ahead for a new Salford rugby league team
Danny Jones
The Rugby Football League (RFL) have given the go-ahead for a new Salford rugby league team in the New Year.
Rejoice, Salfordians – the Red Devils as you know them might be done, but it looks like a Phoenix is rising very soon.
However, following a consortium bid led by a former player, it now looks as though the local community will be starting a new sporting era in 2026. You can read the RFL’s statement in full down below.
As you can see, the English governing body has agreed to grant the new Salford-based rugby league team Championship status in time for the start of next season.
The Red Devils were officially relegated back in October, following months of uncertainty surrounding their unpaid debts and having to rely on loan players to field squads.
It’s unclear whether the new Salford side will carry on under the well-established brand and logo, or whether they fresh start will include a new Greater Manchester moniker.
There is, of course, an obvious choice as retired winger Mason Caton-Brown has been confirmed as one of at least three key investors following his ‘Phoenix Bid’ to resurrect the club earlier this month.
Following the official announcement on Monday (22 Dec), fan group The 1873 have now expressed their gratitude and support regarding the new investment, adding: “The strength of this club has always been its people and that must remain true in this new chapter.”
We would like to congratulate The Phoenix Bid on being awarded RFL membership and becoming custodians of Salford Rugby League 👏
Fans must fully back the new board as we move into 2026. We have a responsibility to ensure that this is as successful as it can be. pic.twitter.com/BZEwzS0zC6
Caton-Brown had already insisted that the new leadership group had reached multiple pre-contract agreements with players and a new head coach.
While it’s obviously a big result to be gearing up just a few weeks after seemingly folding as a competitive side, the owners are now racing to get a full squad ready to face Oldham in their season opener on 16 January.
Meanwhile, ex-Salford Red Devils stars Paul Rowley and Adam Sidlow have now joined the coaching staff at St Helens.
Featured Images — Anthony Parkes (via Geograph)/Publicity picture (supplied)
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The UK’s top 10 biggest Christmas ‘icks’ have been revealed
Emily Sergeant
The UK’s top 10 biggest Christmas ‘icks’ have been revealed, according to the results from a hilarious new survey.
Christmas may be the most wonderful time of the year, but it can also have its fair share of icks.
From tinsel on the tree, to cheesy Christmas jumpers, and everything in between, there are plenty of Christmas traditions that we simply love, and some we love to hate – and now, new research conducted by online retailer Haypp ahead of the festive season has revealed exactly what it is that Brits find the ickiest.
The research reveals that the number one ick is a controversial one – putting ketchup on a Christmas dinner, as nearly a third of respondents (32%) claim it makes them feel grim and that they’d judge someone for it.
Wearing Christmas jumpers is one of the UK’s biggest Christmas ‘icks’ Credit: Julia Larson (via Pexels)
It may cause controversy in a few households nationwide, the second biggest ‘ick’ is adults in matching festive pyjamas, with just under a third of Brits cringing, while some of the other similar traditions to this on the list being family photo Christmas cards, and wearing Christmas jumpers in public.
Elsewhere on the list, it was revealed that 27% of Brits find it unbearable to talk about politics over dinner, and lots of us don’t like it when others watch us open presents.
Around 18% also can’t stand it when people argue over festive games.
The UK’s top 10 Christmas ‘icks’
Having tomato ketchup on your Christmas dinner – 32%
Adults in matching pyjamas – 29.2%
Talking politics during dinner – 27.9%
Undoing your trousers at the dinner table – 24.4%
Leaving the dinner table to smoke – 23.2%
Everyone watching you open your presents – 20.4%
Being hungover on Christmas Day – 19.5%
Arguing over a game – 18.1%
Family photo Christmas cards – 15.2%
Wearing Christmas jumpers – 13.2%
Bad habits at the dinner table also feature heavily on the list, as a quarter of Brits hate it when people undo their trousers after the Christmas meal, and just over a fifth find it rude when someone leaves the table to go and smoke.