Oyster-eating champion defending title

Norwegian Rune Naeri is back in Northern Ireland today to defend his title as the world’s oyster-eating champion.

Last year he clinched the title, and a place in the Guinness Book of Records, when he consumed a stomach-churning 187 oysters in just three minutes .

A former record holder will be among competitors trying to take the record from the Norwegian at the Hillsborough Oyster Festival which gets under way in the Co Down village this evening.

Lining up for battle on Saturday are contenders from the US, New Zealand, Japan and various parts of Europe.

The Northern Ireland contender will be chosen from an eight-strong field at a regional event tonight.

Around 2,500 oysters – all sourced locally from Dundrum Bay – are expected to be consumed by residents and visitors during the increasingly popular two-day annual festival.

Many other events – apart from oyster eating – are held at the festival and its reputation is growing.

“Creating an event that would become a major tourism attraction, as well as popular with Hillsborough residents and people from other parts of Northern Ireland, was one of our objectives when we launched the event back in 1992,” said Sean Hall of the organising committee.

“We are delighted by the high level of interest within Northern Ireland and the growing appeal of the festival overseas,” he added.

Once again the Ulster Cancer Foundation will benefit from the event. Last year around £17,000 (€25,000) was raised for the local charity and organisers hope to surpass that this year.