Actor Will Mellor has come a surprise second in the World Gurning Championships, pipped to the main prize by local man Ged Eccles who had come close but never before won.

Part of the annual Egremont Crab Fair in Cumbria, which began in 1267, the gurning competition has been a fixture since the 1500s. Competitors are judged on their ability to pull the ugliest or most grotesque face.

The Hollyoaks and Mr Bates vs The Post Office star won second place in the men’s competition after attending as part of a programme he was filming.

Eccles said he felt “ecstatic” to have finally won the men’s competition. It was his first victory since becoming the junior champion in 1985.

He came second in 2023 and was third in 2016 and 2009 and said he believed he had won this year because of the extra practice he had put in.

“I practise in front of a mirror for maybe three to four hours a day,” he said. “I’ve been doing that since the end of May.”

He said he did this to loosen up his neck, cheekbone and jaw bone muscles in order to get his lip on to his nose. “And that’s what I did,” he said.

Eccles said he hoped to defend his title next year and that he planned to continue gurning “until the day I can’t do it anymore”.

One of the event’s organisers, Dan Nixon, said it was good to see Eccles finally win.

He said there were about 50 entrants to the men’s, women’s and junior versions of the competition and that up to 800 people had attended.

“I think everyone in Egremont takes part in the Crab Fair in some way,” he said.

Local woman Claire Lister won the women’s competition again after losing her crown last year.

The nine-time champion said: “I’m absolutely delighted to have won again, I’m really proud and it still feels just as special every time.

“It’s just a bit of fun and keeps the Egremont Crab Fair tradition going.”

Lister said she does not train or practise for the competition but just turns up on the day and gives it her best.

“I think after doing it for so many years it just comes naturally to me now,” she said.

Nixon described her as “a seasoned winner”.

The competition’s organising committee have already started planning next year’s event which will be its 760th.

“We’re very much hoping that it’s going to be a really, really big spectacular,” he said.

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