Police threaten granny over cheese rolling hazard

Updated
Health and safety ban granny's cheese for festival
Health and safety ban granny's cheese for festival


An 86-year-old grandmother has been warned by police not to supply a giant Double Gloucester wheel for a cheese rolling festival near Brockworth, Gloucestershire - because it would be too "dangerous".

For the past 25 years, Diana Smart has been making a special cheese wheel for the annual event, which sees competitors chase cheese down the 200-yard Cooper's Hill, Gloucestershire.

But this year, Mrs Smart got a surprise visit from three police officers who warned her not to donate the 8lb wheel because it was a health and safety hazard.

Mrs Smart was told that she would be liable for any injuries if she went ahead with providing the cheese.


After health and safety issues, the cheese rolling festival was banned in 2009, but it has been held unofficially every year since.

Speaking to The Sun, Mrs Smart said: "The police came to my farm and said it could cause us an enormous amount of damages.

"They threatened me, saying I would be wholly responsible if anyone got injured," she told the Daily Mail.

"I'm 86, I don't have the will or the cash to fight any lawsuits. It's crazy."

A Gloucestershire police spokesman said: "Advice has been given to all those who have participated in any planning of an unofficial cheese rolling event.

"We feel it is important that those who could be constituted as organisers of the event, are aware of the responsibilities that come with it so that they can make an informed decision about their participation."

According to the Mail, this is the first time 200 years that police have banned a cheese maker from providing cheese for the event.

What do you think? Is cheese rolling too dangerous? Were the police right to ban the gran from making cheese?

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