Big screen could cut Gloucestershire cheese race crowds

This year's event was cancelled because of concerns over crowds size

Gloucestershire's historic cheese-rolling contest could be televised on big screens to help ease overcrowding.

This year's race was cancelled after concerns over the number of spectators it attracts at the Cooper's Hill site.

About 15,000 people flocked to the event last year - more than three times the site's capacity.

A bid to save this year's competition failed, but organisers said streaming videos of the event in Gloucester city centre could help to spread the crowds.

The proposal is part of new plans to extend the event, which include the possible introduction of a cheese and cider festival.

A statement from the Cheese-Rolling Committee said: "For the past few weeks we have been working together and talking about how we can take this historic event forward and we are now confident that we will be able to go ahead next year and continue well into the future.

"We're still working on the details but whatever we do we have to make sure we preserve the heritage of the local tradition, at the same time as reducing numbers on the hill, and this is going to take time to organise properly.

"That doesn't mean that we haven't tried to look at ways of putting on the event this year, in fact we explored many options but expert advice was that our plans were not developed well enough to work this year."