IT WAS the battle of the Birdmen when rival resorts held their annual contests on the same day.

Those magnificent men in their flying machines donned fancy dress and plunged from piers in Eastbourne and Bognor at the same time yesterday.

The main aim of the madcap event is to gain as much distance as possible with a single leap into the surf, but yesterday organisers were also aiming to out do one another.

At least 5,000 people braved the wind, rain and cold to watch each event.

There were whoops of delight when every colourful hopeful took off, usually followed just seconds later by cheers and laughter as they splashed into the choppy sea.

Big cash prizes are offered to the competitors who 'fly' furthest, and for those with the best costume, but most contestants take part for fun and for charity.

Eastbourne was rubbing its hands with glee at one stage when reports went around the crowd that Bognor had been cancelled because of bad weather.

The news was even backed up by a report on local BBC saying organisers were considering giving in to the wind and rain, but Eastbourne's joy was short-lived as both events managed to beat the strong winds.

At Bognor, the old man of birdmen competitions this year celebrating its 25th year, Worthing mayor David Chapman kicked the contest off by diving off the pier dressed as an owl. He raised his puny wings and dropped into the briny just three metres away.

He was followed by entrants including Arun Council chairman Tony Williamson, dressed as a firework, along with a flying horse and the Inflatable Man of Bognor, who simply held two blow-up dolls under his arms and jumped.

Meanwhile, in relative newcomer Eastbourne, now in its sixth year, a bumble bee, dragon and yellow canary were among those trying to fly.

Hang glider pilot Ron Freeman, from Northumberland, managed a winning 57.5-metre flight in Bognor.

And in Eastbourne, decorator David Bradshaw, who holds the longest jump records in both resorts, shared the £1,000 first prize for distance with pier cellar man Hugh Kerrigan. Both managed 14 metres.

In the east, the fancy dress contest was won by nightclub boss George Grimes, 33, dressed as the Red Sparrow to mimic the famous Red Arrows.

He plans to add his £500 prize to about £400 he has raised for victims of the Omagh bombing.

Meanwhile, in the west a large green dragon-style hang glider won the most amusing entry category.

In Eastbourne, pier general manager Ruth Davis claimed the town's contest topped the rival town's effort due to the number of other events taking place over the weekend, including Eastbourne Airbourne.

But Bill Minton, deputy services director with Bognor organiser Arun Council, said: "I think the weather was more of a threat to us than Eastbourne."

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