Cheese rollers won't compete this year

GLOUCESTER, England, March 12 (UPI) -- Organizers of an annual Cheese Rolling event in Gloucester, England, say this year's competition has been canceled because of health and safety concerns.

Richard Jeffries of the event's organizing committee said local officials were concerned overcrowding at the May 31 event could cause problems, The Daily Telegraph reported Friday.

"Last year, 15,000 spectators came to the event, by far the most we have ever seen, and we just could not cope," Jeffries said.

"As well as concerns about the safety of the crowd and the competitors, local landowners were also worried by the amount of damage done by people climbing over fences and that sort of thing."

The Telegraph said the event, which comes from a 200-year-old tradition, features participants chasing 7-pound rounds of Double Gloucester cheese down a hill.