The World Pie-eating Championship has now been won and the new king of the gravy, meat and crusty pastry is Martin Clare.

He is 34 and a furniture-maker from Wigan, home of the annual extravaganza at Harry’s Bar, which comes as as big relief to the town which has hosted the event for the last 21 years.

Outsiders keep trying to snatch the glory, notably a posse from scorned local rival Adlington, and past winners have come from Bolton, Manchester and even more foreign places such as Australia. Clare is a fine figure of a pie-eater and he demolished the 200gm pie in 23.53 seconds which pips the 23.91 set by Boltonian civil servant Neil Collier two years ago.

Speaking through crumbs, after receiving his gold medal in a ceremony modelled on the Olympics and Paralympics, Clare said: “This is the biggest thing I have ever won.” He was applauded…