THE competition for this year’s annual Ely Standard pancake race is hotting up, with plenty of teams already signed up to take part.

Pan-wielding teams of four are set to line up on the Market Place, in Ely, at 11.30am on Shrove Tuesday, February 12, and we are looking for a few more eager participants to sign up to take part in the race, which was won last year by first-time flippers Wilkinsons. Wilko’s crack team of Anton Hill, Jack Byng, Jonny Hobbs and Alex Cook stormed ahead in the final straight to take the coveted engraved frying pan ahead of Tesco, with the Ely Standard, Star Radio and the Lighthouse Fellowship trailing in their wake.

The race was started by Ely’s official town crier Avril Hayter-Smith, with the competitors cheered on by dozens of spectators who had turned out to support the event.

In previous years, teams from Tesco, Ely fire station, Waitrose, Star Radio, ADeC and Millets have all taken part.

If you would like to enter your team, contact reporter Dan Mansfield on 01353 645693 or e-mail daniel.mansfield@archant.co.uk.

Teams of four will be required to bring their own frying pan, with official race pancakes provided on the day.