IT’S that time of year again and, with pans and pancakes at the ready, the whole community is invited to join in the Dorset Echo Pancake Day Races on Tuesday, March 8.

This will be held, as it has been for around the past 20 years, at All Saints Rectory Lawn in Easton and spectators are encouraged to come along and join in the fun.

The main prizes are sponsored by the Dorset Echo and there will be races for primary and pre-school children, men and women, and this year’s challenge race will be between teams from Portland St John Ambulance and Southwell Community Group.

Portland town crier Stuart Cave will be adding his voice to the event by encouraging people in the vicinity to join in and he will be presenting the prizes.

Arthur Copus will as usual be master of ceremonies and light refreshments will be available inside All Saints Church.

The first race will be at 10.30am so come and join in the fun either as a participant or as a spectator and ensure that this old tradition for the day before the start of Lent is kept going.