The biggest ever crowd gathered for Waltham Abbey’s fifth annual pancake race today.

Up to a hundred people including supportive family members, councillors and business owners flocked to the 20-yard course decorated by bunting in Sun Street.

Categories included the business race, under fives and over fives who competed for the prizes in the bright sunshine after concerns that the competition could be called off in wet conditions.

A total of 77 children participated leaving organisers struggling to fit all the races in the allotted time.

The first race was the business category with the only rule being that pancakes needed to be flipped three times.

Apollo Cafe owner, Haci Arslan battered the competition of Barnaby Davis, 24, of the Epping Forest Guardian and Steven Owen, 17, of Waltham Abbey Opticians in the final.

Mr Aslan, retaining his championship for the second year running, was awarded the winners' champagne before heading straight back to work.

He said: “I’m the boss here so I have to do it. I am very happy, more people came to watch and it is great to see the high street so busy.

“I can’t drink the champagne now because I’m working but will have it later tonight.”

Mr Aslan was presented the trophy by Howard Green managing director of estate agents Duncan Phillips who sponsored the event along with Tesco’s.

Mr Green said: “It is so good for the community, to see young and old together having fun and bringing people into Sun Street.

“It is always competitive we usually enter a candidate and challenge the other estate agents to a race and sometimes they even turn up.”

Kate Towerzey, who organised the event, was delighted at the biggest ever turnout.

She said: “We are so lucky with the weather, it is glorious day and all the kids could turn out because it’s in half term.

“It is my favourite event of the year, a pleasure to organise and gets people into the town.”

Harrison Hudson won the under fives and Tommy Kenny the over fives.

Saphire Brown, 10, of Holdbrook Primary School in Waltham Cross won the over 10s race.

The youngster said she was going to keep her trophy in her bedroom after heading for a free winners pancake in Crepe and Shake cafe in Sun Street.

She said: “It was really fun and feels good to win. It was actually quite easy because all the boys kept dropping their pancakes and I stayed focused.”