Meet the gurning champion who pulled the best faces for eighth year running

Most people will have pulled funny faces at least a few times in their life – but the majority give up the practice once they reach their teenage years or adulthood.

That’s not the case for these gurners, who are competing in the World Gurning Championships held annually in Egremont, Cumbria.

The act of pulling silly faces appears to be a bit of an art form, perfected over time, with competitors returning year after year to take part.

This year Tommy Mattinson won the men’s category for a 19th time, while Claire Lister won the women’s category for the eighth year in a row.

Plus it’s apparently a family affair, as Claire’s daughter Kendal was named champion in the junior category this year.

Tommy, who’s dad was also a gurning champion, said: ‘It’s amazing, I’m so pleased to win it again. I didn’t expect, I never do, but there was some stiff opposition tonight.

Claire Lister has won the women’s prize eight years in a row (Picture: Lee McLean/SWNS)

Kendal Lister, 10, is carrying on her mum Claire’s tradition (Picture: Lee McLean/SWNS)

Mark Finnerty also took part (Picture: Lee McLean/SWNS)

‘When I pull my face, I go into my zone and I don’t hear the crowd and I don’t feel anything.

‘I’ll be coming back. I want [to win] 30. I think if you’re a champion, you should come back and defend it. As long as I’m alive and kicking, I’ll come back and support it.

‘People think “oh have you not won it enough?” but I love winning, I like it.

‘I do a lot of TV and I meet a lot of stars, I’ve done some Saturday night TV and children’s TV and I love all that aspect of it.

‘I remember winning the juniors for the first time. I started gurning when I was a little child, trying to copy my dad, who was a world champion.

‘My mum said I was always I was pulling faces as a kid.’

Dozens of hopefuls took part in the event, which is part of the Egremont Crab Fair, which also sees wheelbarrow races and horn-blowing competition’s.

Entrants try to pull the most grotesque face possible while wearing a large horse collar.

Their face contortion efforts are then scored by a panel of five judges, who are looking for ‘the biggest transformation in face’.

The fair is thought to date all the way back to 1267 – when crab apples were given to the townsfolk by the Lord of the Manor.

Ding Dong Veg, 64, from Bath. (Picture: Lee McLean/SWNS)

Alan Haley, 75, from Cumbria, with a gurning fan (Picture: Lee McLean/SWNS)

Indie Irwin, 12, is grandaughter of 19-time World Gurning champion Tommy Mattinson (Picture: Lee McLean/SWNS)

Hometown hero Claire Lister, who has won the women’s competition for the eighth time in a row, said: ‘I first starting gurning when I was a junior, I would come second and third.

‘As you get older, you become a teenager and it get’s a bit embarrassing. But I entered in 2013 when I was 26 and that’s when I won first time.

‘I missed 2014 because I had a baby, but I’ve won consecutively since then.

‘In lockdown, we entered a competition in Japan via Zoom and we’ve been on tv with it, it’s really good.’

Discussing the competition, chairman Callum Scott said: ‘People come from all over the country to take part.

‘I think it appeals to so many people because it’s so unique – and because of the tradition.

‘We’re one of the oldest fairs in the world and gurning is believed to have started in 1267. It’s just an iconic part of the town.’

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