Looking back at the greasy pole at Egremont's Crab Fair

The Greasy Pole is one of the oldest and most popular events at the Egremont Crab Fair in Cumbria, England.

The fair itself has been running since 1267 and it's one of the oldest fairs in the world.

The Greasy Pole event involves a greased-up wooden pole that entrants must climb to reach the prizes that are attached at the top.

Prizes range from money to clothes and toys.

Participants must climb the slippery pole without any help and the one who gets their hands on the prize first, wins that prize.

This traditional event draws large crowds every year, with people cheering on the competitors as they attempt to climb the pole.

Despite its seeming simplicity, the event requires a great deal of skill and strength as the pole is not only made greasy but it also tends to sway and spin due to the climber's weight.

It's a fun-filled spectacle that perfectly encapsulates the community spirit and liveliness of the Egremont Crab Fair.

In the oldest photo in this collection from 1983, we see as threatening rain clouds hovered over Egremont for much of the day , but only after the bulk of the traditional Crab Fair events had taken place did they burst during late evening. The picture shows youngsters as they tackle the greasy pole trying all kinds of ways of reaching the top to retrieve a leg of lamb.