A FLIPPING good time was had by all as a fond tradition returned to Lowestoft on Tuesday morning.Grey skies and light rain failed to dampen the mood as the pancake race returned to the town's streets after a five year break.

A FLIPPING good time was had by all as a fond tradition returned to Lowestoft on Tuesday morning.

Grey skies and light rain failed to dampen the mood as the pancake race returned to the town's streets after a five year break.

And it proved to be business-as-usual as The Journal retained the trophy last won in 2005.

Six teams all hungry for the taste of success lined up at the start-line in London Road North, with Lowestoft Mayor Malcolm Cherry setting the competitors off.

Each contestant was required to sprint a short distance, before stopping to toss their pancake three times. They then sprinted to the next member of their team, passing the frying pan on to their teammate who set off in the opposite direction.

After three legs the first over the line was The Journal team; second was The Beach radio station and third was Wesgate's Fashion Flippers team. Other entrants included Cash Generator, Waveney Community Forum and Westgate's Top Floor Tossers team.

Reporters Richard Wood, David Lennard and Mark Boggis made up The Journal team, with colleagues Hayley Mace and Amy Gray cheering them on to victory from the sidelines.

Mark, who brought back memories of his 2005 victory by again bringing the team home, said: 'This is the sixth time I've represented The Journal in the pancake race, but this has to be the best team we've ever had. The result was never in doubt.'

The event proved to be a hit with local shoppers who stopped to watch the action and it is hoped that the event will return next year even bigger and better.

Town centre manager Emma Jones said: 'The pancake race was a huge success; I was so pleased with the turn out on such a miserable wet day. It was great fun and the atmosphere was brilliant, a definite annual event in the Lowestoft calendar now.'