There was sadness this week when it was announced that the Dorset Knob Throwing Festival would be cancelled this year for the second year in a row.

The Dorset Knob Throwing and Frome Valley Food Festival, due to be held on the first Sunday in May, is off once again because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The iconic festival, which began in the village of Cattistock, is as quintessentially Dorset as Thomas Hardy, beautiful beaches and Blue Vinny cheese.

Dorset Echo:

It sees people throw Dorset Knob biscuits as far as possible, as well as a knob and spoon race, knob painting, guess the weight of the knob.

Pre-coronavirus, back in October 2019, the event was cancelled after Kingston Maurward College said it could no longer host the event.

Enter Radio 1 breakfast host Greg James, whose grandmother comes from Weymouth.

Once the star, who broadcasts to millions of people every day, heard the news, he called for the event to go ahead in 2020.

Dorset Echo:

Speaking after a news segment, he said: "The Dorset Knob throwing festival has been cancelled next year.

"This is a huge part of the community. It's a one day festival attended by 8,000 people this year.

"That’s as many as the Teen Awards used to get.

"It incorporates a food festival, live music, Knob-based games such as Knob and spoon racing, splat the Knob, Knob darts and pin the Knob on the giant.

"Maybe we should hold our own next year."

Dorset Echo:

Referring to the event again later in on his show, he added: "It's really sad.

"Surely we can help. I’d be interested in attending and going down there. It seems a shame to have a fallow year. A year without knobs is not a year in my book.

"My nan lives in Weymouth, we could get her to open it, it’s not far."

Dorset Echo:

A spokesman for the festival’s organising committee said the decision to cancel was reluctantly made as a result of the college cancelling the Memorandum of Understanding made between the Dorset Knob Throwing Committee and the college.

He said the 2019 Dorset Knob Throwing was a huge success with over 8,000 visitors enjoying a glorious day at the venue.

Ian Gregory, of the Knob Throwing Festival Committee, said he was prepared to listen to offers of help.

With the recent announcement that there would be no knob throwing festival this year, organisers announced that it would return to Cattistock on Sunday, May 1 2022.

Talks are in progress for a digital alternative this year.