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Thousands of stotties baked for race finishers

BBC Abe Chirgwin is standing outside Pink Lane Bakery holding a green box full of stotties. The bakery doors and counters are pink. Mr Chirgwin has dark curly hair and a beard and is wearing a grey t-shirt.BBC
Abe Chirgwin from Pink Lane Bakery said it was a "massive operation"

A bakery has been racing to make 8,000 stotties ahead of a historical run.

The 5.9 mile (9.5km) Blaydon Race from Newcastle city centre to Blaydon, in Gateshead, is based on the lyrics to the 1862 song by Geordie Ridley, and participants traditionally receive a filled bread bun at the finish line.

Pink Lane Bakery operations manager Abe Chirgwin said staff had been working "genuinely tirelessly" for days to bake the snack, native to north-east England.

The race begins at 19:30 BST, with road closures including on Quayside Road, Scotswood Road and Blaydon Highway.

Five thousand runners are taking part in this year's run, organisers say.

Mr Chirgwin said it had been a "massive operation" making a variety of ham and pease pudding, cheese savoury and vegan stotties for the finishers.

Baker Mick Allinson, who had been working the mixer for three consecutive days, said it was a simple process, but a "long drawn-out job".

A baker takes five freshly-baked stotties out of the oven.
Thousands of stotties have been made for Blaydon Race finishers

Road closures have been put in place on both sides of the Tyne for the race.

The following are in place in Newcastle:

  • Quayside Road (B1600) 15:00 - 20:30
  • Sandhill/Close/Swing Bridge (B1600) 18:25 - 20:00
  • Skinnerburn Road 18:25 - 20:15
  • Monarch Road/William Armstrong Drive 18:25 - 20:30
  • Scotswood Road (A695) 18:25 - 21:00
  • Scotswood Bridge (South towards Metrocentre) 18:25 to 21:00
  • Scotswood Bridge (North & West) 18:25 to 21:30

In Gateshead:

  • Tyne Street 00:00 to 21:30
  • Chainbridge Road (B6317) 17:30 to 22:00
  • Shibdon Road (Eastbound lane from traffic lights to pedestrian island) 17:30 to 22:00
  • Blaydon Highway (A694/5) 18:25 to 21:30
  • McDonalds / Blaydon Bus Station / Blaydon Shopping Precinct Service Road: 18:25 to 21:30
The start line of the Blaydon Race. Thousands of runners line up on Newcastle's Quayside. Dozens of people at the front are wearing yellow and black running tops - and standing behind a paper barrier which reads: "Blaydon Harrier & AC"
The route is based the 1862 song The Blaydon Races (photo from the 2024 race)

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