- Conger cuddling is a traditional event in Lyme Regis, Dorset, England, in which a dead conger eel is thrown at members of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). Part of the town's "Lifeboat Week", the eel is attached to a rope and thrown at nine people standing on flowerpots in a manner similar to skittles. There are two teams involved in a last man standing competition.
The event, which attracts around 3,000 people annually, was used to raise funds for the RNLI. It has been called the "most fun a person could have with a dead fish".
The event started in the early 1970s when Richard Fox, a retired publican, organised the first event. It became a tradition of the town, drawing numerous spectators. However, in 2006 the RNLI made the decision that the event was "inappropriate" after a complaint was made. When it was next held (28 July 2006) the eel had been replaced by a buoy, but there are talks of a replacement, plastic eel being made for 2007.
2 comments:
Python, the show, was around by fall 1969, suggesting it had to have preceded the dreaded eel toss.
What's next, a Ministry of Silly Walks Marathon?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ministry_of_Silly_Walks
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