AN emergency meeting is being called to try to save the cheese rolling festival this year.

A county councillor is hoping something can be done to help the committee run the popular event.

The news comes as campaigners determined to bring cheese rolling back to Cooper's Hill set up a Facebook group.

They also vowed to petition Prime Minister Gordon Brown about the issue.

News broke on Friday that the world-famous cheese rolling event was cancelled for this year.

The event was hugely popular, with the likes of Chris Anderson (pictured) winning top prize last year.

Now county councillor Mark Hawthorne, cabinet member for regeneration, said the council was exploring what support it could offer to event organisers.

He said: "We're looking to set up a meeting of all the key partners later this week to see if anything can be done to support the cheese rolling committee in delivering this year's event.

"We will also be looking at how we can provide ongoing support to the committee to secure future events.

Tradition

"The organisers of this great Gloucestershire tradition have done a fantastic job over the years and whatever happens it's vital that we ensure that the cheese rolling continues to retain this unique spirit and atmosphere for many years to come."

Hope that a solution could be found could not come fast enough for members of Facebook group Bring Back the Cheese Rolling, which last night had more than 3,000 fans.

Carrie Vaughan, from the group, said: "Do they not realise they will probably cause more accidents by canceling the event and not having it organised and monitored?

"It's a long-standing tradition and those who want to do it still will."

John Anderson, also from the group, said people would turn up to the event regardless.

"I say let them try and block the hill," he said.

"There will be more people than they can control getting up there."

Commenting on the petition to the Prime Minister, Sally Prosser said: "Where do I sign? I'm Gloucestershire born and bred and proud of this crazy tradition.

"This page is not long enough to list all the things that people do that are dangerous that aren't banned – look at the Winter Olympic sports for instance. Just get people to sign a disclaimer."

Clair Fawlk wrote on the group's wall: "They are not concerned about the competitors, just the spectators as 15,000 people turned up to watch last year.

"Why not get organised and sell tickets? That way they can control the numbers and bring in some much-needed revenue."

Kevin Robinson said: "I once read an article about the cheese rolling that stated the number of injuries and added that they included '... a spectator who was hospitalised when he fell 100 foot after being struck by an errant cheese'.

"That is a level of pure insanity that should never be stopped."

The 2009 races saw 58 people injured with 11 people taken to hospital in ambulances. Of the injured people 35 were competitors, four catchers at the bottom of the hill and 19 spectators.

The injuries included two spinal and one dislocated shoulder.