World Black Pudding Throwing trophy found in pub by dog

The trophy was discovered at The Oaks at around 8pm on Monday, September 14, after disappearing during Sunday’s championships.

Landlady Jessica Murray said the trophy was found hidden in the couches where the pub keeps its toilet rolls.

“We found the cup yesterday evening,” she said.

Daisy discovering the trophy (Image: PHIL TAYLOR ARPS)

Jessica said she had noticed Daisy, the pub’s small Jack Russell Chihuahua cross, sniffing around the area.

When she investigated, she discovered the missing trophy among the toilet rolls.

Jessica believes someone may have put the trophy there as a joke.

Landlady Jessica Murray (Image: PHIL TAYLOR ARPS)

The discovery came just hours after the Bury Times reported on the bizarre disappearance and organisers appealed for whoever had the trophy to return it to The Oaks or The Old Bank.

Organiser Paul Jenkins said the team was “exceptionally relieved” to have the trophy back.

“We will of course be taking extra security steps next year,” he told the Bury Times.

“We’re checking CCTV footage and whoever is guilty of the crime will get an automatic one pudding reduction in their score next year.

“We take this kind of thing very seriously.”

Organiser Paul Jenkins (Image: PHIL TAYLOR ARPS)

The trophy vanished on September 13, when thousands of people gathered in Ramsbottom for the annual event.

The historic community event has been running since 1984 and raises money for local causes, with Bury Hospice and Ramsbottom Pantry benefiting this year.

This year’s championships saw history made when 73-year-old June Weir became the first woman and oldest person to win the competition, sharing the title in a four-way tie.

But when organisers and participants gathered for the presentation ceremony, they discovered the trophy was missing.

The missing World Black Pudding Throwing Championships trophy has been found (Image: PHIL TAYLOR ARPS)

After analysing footage from throughout the day, the team established that the trophy was no longer on the presentation table by 1.40pm.

Paul previously said: “Somewhere between 11am and 1.40pm, it moved.”

The trophy has relatively little monetary value but holds huge sentimental importance to the organising team because it was dedicated to Phil Taylor, a long-time organiser of the championships who died in February 2025, aged 73.

Paul urged whoever had taken it to “do the right thing” and return it.

That appeal has now resulted in the trophy making its way back to The Oaks – although exactly how it ended up hidden among the toilet rolls remains a mystery.

Organiser Paul Jenkins, Daisy the pub dog and landlady Jessica Murray (Image: PHIL TAYLOR ARPS)

For now, however, Daisy appears to have solved the case.

The small dog may not have been competing in the black pudding throwing, but her keen nose proved to be the unlikely key to finding the missing cup.

Next year’s competitors have been warned that whoever is responsible could face a rather unusual sporting penalty.