A FAR-FETCHED tale about Donald Trump, Nicola Sturgeon and submarines helped veteran fib-teller George Kemp scoop his fourth World's Biggest Liar title.
George, who runs The Lifeboat Inn in Maryport, entertained a sold-out crowd and a panel of judges at The Bridge Inn in Santon Bridge with imaginative recollections of trips to sea in his 'bubmarine'.
The 60-year-old told how he had turned his dad's old bubble car into a submarine before embarking on a journey that saw him meet a Scottish explorer and SNP members Nicola the Sturgeon and Alex the Salmon, travelling in their submarine made out of tartan shortbread tins.
He finished by watching an Elvis tribute act - 'Shellfish Presley' - with America's president-elect Donald Trump and receiving an invite to his inauguration.
"I haven't been feeling too good so I've had to struggle through so I'm over the moon with winning," he said.
"I didn't have tickets sorted so it was a late decision to come.
"I planned the story the day before and added the twist with Donald Trump because he's in the news."
It was the fourth time George had secured the award.
Each year, in November, a contest is held to award the title of The Biggest Liar in the World to the person with the most far-fetched tale.
Second place went to last year's champion Mike Naylor, aka Monkey Liar, who has also been named Biggest Liar four times.
The Wasdale liar told a tale about his visits to see the Queen, playing croquet and reciting Wordsworth for her majesty.
And third-place went to Helen Jordan, from Whitehaven, who only decided to enter on the night.
Helen, under the alias Mary, made up her story on the spot, regaling the crowd with an account of how she regained her virginity after divorce and her failed quest to lose it again.
She said: "It's my first time, I'd never even been to this pub before.
"I made it up on the spot and added more while I was up there talking.
"I'd only come to support Mike (Naylor).
The top three donated their winning money to the chairman of Copeland Council, and Biggest Liar judge, Peter Tyson's chosen charity, Hospice at Home West Cumbria.
Copeland councillor David Moore, another judge, said: "I thought George's story had a lot of originality and it flowed quite well.
"The top three were very close.
"I have a lot of respect for Helen who signed up on the night.
"It's the world championships and the standards are really high, it's another thing Cumbria is unique for."
One of the organisers, Sarah Grave, said the evening was a great success and there was a good quality of contestants.
"It was really good, a lot of people came from outside the area to compete and it was a night full of amazing stories, which were both strange and spectacular."
The annual World’s Biggest Liar Competition dates back to the 19th century and to a famous Cumbrian called Will Ritson (1808-1890).
The contest is always held at The Bridge Inn, in a valley already well-known for having England’s deepest lake – Wastwater; the highest mountain – Scafell Pike; and the smallest church – Wasdale Head Church.
Ritson was a popular publican who lived at the head of Wasdale Valley.
He always kept his customers enthralled with stories of the folk heritage of the area.
He claimed that the turnips in Wasdale were so big that after the dalesfolk had “quarried” into them for their Sunday lunch, they could be used as sheds for Herdwick sheep.
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