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Wigan man crowned world pie eating champion after scoffing one in just 36 seconds

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 25th January 2023

A proud Wigan man has become world pie eating champion after impressively scoffing one in just 36 seconds flat.

Everyone from Greater Manchester knows that Wigan is a place synonymous with pies, with bakeries flogging the beloved pastry lining the streets of the town centre, and even the mascot for the town’s football club, Wigan Athletic, being a big pie named Crusty.

So is it really any surprise that the man who has just been crowned World Pie Eating Champion 2023 is a Wiganer?

We wouldn’t expect anything less.

49-year-old Barry Rigby is no stranger to competitive pie eating, having already previously being crowned fastest in 2009 and 2014’s competition – but now he has another title to add to his ever-growing collection.

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Barry has just won this year’s World Pie Eating Championships on Tuesday (24 January) by wolfing down a 12×3.5cm meat and potato pie in just 35.4 seconds.

The World Pie Eating Championships is a tradition that stretches back 26 years, and this year, the competition took place at Harry’s Bar in Wigan, with 15 brave pie-eating ‘athletes’ all lining up and risking choking to be crowned the winner for 2023.

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Previous pie-eating champions include 43-year-old Ian Gerrard, and 41-year-old Martin Appleton-Clare, with the latter having taken home the trophy a staggering five times – but although both took part in this year’s competition too, they sadly lost out to Barry’s impressive skills this time around.

Barry has called the championships an “important local event” that’s a “good thing to take part in”.

But what is his secret then? What does Barry put he three-time success down to?

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Well, the winner told ITV Granada: “You’ve got to take small bites and keep chomping at it, swallow it quickly and get it down you as quickly as you can without dropping any bits.”

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While we’re all suitably impressed by Barry’s new title, one person he claims won’t be so much is his wife – “She won’t be surprised I won, I eat a lot of pies,” he concluded.

Featured Image – ITV Granada

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IKEA is hosting a massive pyjama day with free breakfasts and £15 discounts this weekend

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

IKEA is hosting a massive pyjama day at stores across the UK this weekend, and it sounds like the perfect excuse for a lazy day.

Don’t you just wish it was socially acceptable to wear your pyjamas in public sometimes?

Well now you can actually get away with it for once, as Swedish furniture retailer IKEA is hosting one of the most unique shopping experiences there is this weekend, and is inviting customers to ditch their daywear and don their favourite PJs instead.

Promising to be “a fun day out for all the family”, IKEA’s Pyjama Day is the perfect opportunity to shop for all your home needs in the most comfortable attire imaginable.

IKEA is hosting a massive pyjama day this weekend / Credit: IKEA

In a move that’s sure to be a bit of a dream come true for lazy Mancs, all late risers and loungewear lovers can get themselves down to either the Ashton or Warrington IKEA stores to make the most of all the cosy action.

Anyone signed up to be an ‘IKEA Family’ member who visits their local store wearing pyjamas this weekend can help themselves to a free breakfast of either a small cooked Full English or a breakfast roll, with veggie and vegan options available, or any children’s breakfast for those under 16.

That’s not all either, as pyjama-clad shoppers will also be able to snag an exclusive £15 discount when they spend £50 or more in-store on the same day.

If all of that wasn’t enough to get you down there as it is, there’s also set to be a special visit from BJÖRN bear in the restaurant for little ones, as well as loads of other free events in stores nationwide to get yourselves stuck into.

To bag your free breakfast and £15 discount, you just need to become an ‘IKEA Family’ member first by signing up for free on the IKEA website to unlock access to a range of exclusive deals and benefits, as well as up to 20% off on IKEA ‘Sleep Essentials’ until Monday 30 September.

To turn up in your PJs though? That’s open to all.

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IKEA Pyjama Day is taking place at stores nationwide this Saturday 7 September, and you can find out more on the IKEA website here.

Featured Image – IKEA

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Costa, Greggs, and more unveil 2024 autumn menus full of new toasties, cakes, and seasonal drinks

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Tasty toasties, cakes, seasonal drinks, and more all feature on the new 2024 autumn menus at a handful of popular high street coffee shop chains.

As summer draws to a close and the colder months edge closer, it’s not uncommon the high street’s best-loved coffee shop chains to unveil their limited-edition autumn menus around this time to help get us in the spirit.

Thankfully, Costa, Greggs, Starbucks, and Pret have all delivered so far.

Chicken and chorizo paninis, hog roast toasties, salt beef baguettes, salted caramel chocolate cakes, stem ginger cookies, and pumpkin spice doughnuts are just a selection of the mouthwatering foodie treats forming part of the new seasonal menus that you’ll soon be able to tuck into at each of the chains.

And of course, what would autumn be without pumpkin spice lattes? The cult-classic drink is now on the menu in both hot and cold format at Greggs, Pret, and its original home, Starbucks.

Costa, Greggs, and more have unveiled their new autumn menus for 2024 / Credit: Costa

Over at Costa, there’s a wide range of new items having been added to the lineup for the next couple of months, with some of the highlights being the Brie, Bacon, and Chilli Jam Panini, the Chilli Beef and Cheddar Toastie, a Sticky Pecan Mini Loaf, and a spooky iced gingerbread ghost biscuit, perfect for little ones or as a sweet snack.

Alongside the newbies, Costa’s fan-favourite Hog Roast Toastie, Roast Chicken and Bacon Sandwich, and Chocolate and Salted Caramel Cake will also be returning, as will the massively-popular Maple Hazel drinks range.

At Greggs, there’s a stunning selection of pumpkin spice treats to choose from, including the Pumpkin Spice Doughnut and classic Pumpkin Spice Latte, as well as other seasonal hot drinks like the Orange Mocha and Orange Hot Chocolate, and the much-loved Salted Caramel Latte, while when it comes to savoury options, there’s a new Mexican Bean and Spicy Cheese Flatbread, and an All-Day Breakfast Baguette to see you through the day.

The limited-edition menus are full of tasty toasties, sweet treats, and seasonal drinks / Credit: Pret | Greggs

Pret has also joined the pumpkin spice and salted caramel bandwagon for another year, with both lattes returning yet again, but some of the stand-out new additions to its menu include the Mushroom Florentine Toastie, the Beef & Horseradish Baguette, the Cinnamon Crown, and Spiced Apple & Pecan Muffin.

Starbucks is yet to fully unveil its new autumn menu, but is expected to do so very soon so make sure to keep your eyes peeled.

However, what we do know is that the original Pumpkin Spice Latte is already back in all its glory.

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Greggs and Pret’s new autumn menus are now available to tuck into for a limited time only, while Costa’s launches nationwide this Thursday (5 September), and Starbucks will be in due course.

Featured Image – Costa

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