THE ELY Standard Pancake Race got off to a flying start this morning as teams lined up at Market Place, frying pans at the ready, complete with home-cooked pancakes prepared by the advertising and editorial teams. In the first heat, Star Radio flew home,

THE ELY Standard Pancake Race got off to a flying start this morning as teams lined up at Market Place, frying pans at the ready, complete with home-cooked pancakes prepared by the advertising and editorial teams.

In the first heat, Star Radio flew home, beating Ely Fire Station, Ely Standard, Waitrose and ADeC. Latecomers EC Sport and Ely Witchford and Sutton Youth Team ran in a swiftly organised second heat, with the Ely Standard editorial team of Dan Mansfield and Catherine Atkinson, and ADeC agreeing to take them on.

Winners Ely, Witchford and Sutton Youth Team entered a flip-off final round against Star, with the radio team coming home victorious following a last-minute pancake drop by the Youth Team's anchor runner.

Reporter and organiser Catherine Atkinson said: "Pancake races are a staple of every city, town and village at this time of year and when I found out Ely didn't have an annual one, there was only one thing for it. Waitrose very kindly came on board and the whole Ely Standard team was roped in to whip up the pancake batter. There was a great range of teams who entered - people who are involved with arts, young people, sport, media and of course the fire-fighters. The one thing they all share in common is a great sense of community spirit and fun, and we were delighted to be able to brighten up a few people's February morning with a pancake."

Thanks go to all the competitors, Mayor Sheila Friend Smith and Mayor's consort Jeremy Friend Smith, and district council chairman Peter Cresswell for stalwartly manning the whistle. Finally, our sponsor Waitrose who kindly provided all the ingredients.