Contestants from the Netherlands and US were among those competing for the world title.
Women's champion Beth Hodges said her tongue went a "really funny colour"More than 30 people, from as far afield as the US and the Netherlands, took part in the prickly contest at the Dorset Nectar Cider Farm, near Bridport, on Saturday.
Tom Wheeler from London ate the leaves from 116ft of nettle stalks to claim the men's trophy, beating last year's tally of 64ft . Defending women's champion Beth Hodges retained her title, consuming 64ft of nettles - beating her own record of 60ft , set in 2023.Ms Hodges, who travelled from Wales, said she was surprised and happy to have won again, although her hands were still painful."I did really sting the inside of my mouth and your tongue goes a really funny colour but I was concentrating more on the pain in my hands, so I probably forgot about my mouth.
"The dryness is the tricky thing, and chewing them. I think it depends what the weather has been doing - this year they have been a bit hard to chew."Formerly held at a pub in Bridport, which has since closed, the tradition dating back to the 1980s has been taken over by Ryan Strong at the nearby Dorset Nectar Cider Farm in Waytown.
Nettle stalks are gathered and cut into 2ft lengths and contestants are given cider, which they can drink or dip the nettles into to moisten them.
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