by Low Lai Chow in New Events on Saturday 22 September 2012

The World Gurning Championships took place on Sept 15 this year as part of the Egremont Crab Fair in England, an age-old tradition since medieval times. Basically it involves participants squishing and pulling their face into the most extraordinarily ugliest expression possible.

Of the event, one of the organisers said: ‘It’s really the degree to which your face changes. If you’re ugly to start with and just get a little bit uglier it’s not as good as if you’re beautiful to start with and make yourself really ugly.’ Graphic designer Helen Irving from Killingworth won this year.