Greggs fan John Dawes takes on sausage rolls record at Pickering hotel

John Dawes, from Billingham, Teesside, took on the challenge at The Station Hotel, Pickering, which sponsored the challenge. 

John is a competitive eater and takes on eating competitions all over the country.

He is currently ranked second in the British Eating League and documents his competitive eating challenges on his YouTube channel, Food and the Beast.

The challenge was put forward by the hotel’s landlords, Clare and Aaron Sykes, after thinking of eating challenge ideas with John.

“We were just trying to think outside the box,” said Clare.

From this conversation, it was revealed that John was an avid Greggs fan and keen to take on the challenge.

John, 43, explained that he visits Greggs every morning for a sausage or bacon roll and a coffee before he starts work, delivering parcels for Amazon.

The eating challenge took place on September 26, with John scoffing 21 sausage rolls within the 30-minute time frame.

Despite, burning his mouth on the first one, John pushed through and managed the impressive total.

“I probably could have (eaten more) if I didn’t scald my mouth straight away,” he said.

“When it got to five minutes past, I started to reconsider the life choice!”

John managed 21 sausage rolls in the 30 minutes. Picture: John Dawes

John explained how after eating 17 of the sausage rolls he “felt a bit stuffed.”

But, by this point he said the reheated pastries had started to cool down which made them slightly easier to consume.

His aim going into the challenge was 30, but John said he was pleased with the result.

Clare, from The Station Hotel, Pickering, witnessed the challenge, and said it was “really crazy.”

The attempt is currently being reviewed by Record Setter, who will conclude if an official record has been set.

Following the challenge, John celebrated with a tattoo of a sausage roll bursting out of its Greggs wrapper on his forearm.

John's Greggs tattoo. Picture: John Dawes

He said he had wanted to get a tattoo linked to his competitive eating and decided this was the perfect chance.

After taking the idea to an artist at Skins and Needles Tattoo shop in Middlesborough, the unique design was created.

On Sunday (October 9), John will return to The Station Hotel, Pickering, where he will take on a one-metre-long toad in the hole.

The aim for the final dish is for it to resemble a train, paying homage to the hotel’s location across from Pickering Train Station.

More information about John, and his competitive eating challenges can be found on his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/foodandthebeast