Pudding-throwing prince stuns crowd

The Prince threw the muslin-wrapped pudding across the tent

A playful Prince of Wales stunned onlookers when he threw a steamed pudding during an official engagement in Devon on Thursday.

The Prince was being shown the round, muslin-wrapped orange and Cointreau flavoured confection at a meeting of farmers and local food producers near Kingsbridge.

Suddenly he said: "Where are the young farmers - I have found a new sport, pudding hurling."

And then the Prince tossed the pudding across the tent.

It was a bit mad, wasn't it

George Hollywood

After the pudding was caught by one of the young farmers, the Prince retrieved it and said: "I'd better put it back."

George Hollywood, 18, who had been showing the Prince the range of puddings he makes in nearby Ottery St Mary - set up with the help of the Prince's Trust - said: "When the Prince picked up the pudding he said it would make a good shot put game. "

"It was a bit mad,wasn't it?" said Mr Hollywood, adding that he was giving the Prince a box of the puddings.

The Prince's pudding-throwing episode happened shortly after he sampled two locally brewed beers.

First he took a sip of 4.3% Otter Bright, and then the 5.8% Otter Head.

Patrick McCaig, from Otter Brewery at Luppitt, gave the Prince a case of their beers as a 21st birthday present for Prince William.

Sustainable activity

The Prince of Wales went on to sample locally-made sausages as he chatted in the tent at Highdown Farm at Bradninch.

Earlier the Prince presented the Devon County Show Prince of Wales Award to farming couple Colin and Vanessa Mills for their contribution to sustainable activity in the farming industry.

The couple, who farm the 446-acre Southdown Farm near Kingsbridge, Devon, where they keep pigs and grow bird seed, received a certificate and £1,000.

Earlier in the day he was given a taste of life behind bars when he visited Dartmoor Prison.