THE brave and the foolhardy had the chance to try some of the world's hottest chillis at an annual festival celebrating the fiery fruits.
This year the Royal Horticultural Society's (RHS) Hyde Hall introduced its first-ever chilli-tasting competition, run by family-owned business Battlesbridge Mills Garden Centre, which was keen to showcase its hottest produce.
"We gave people five chillis to eat, from quite mild to hot – with a sixth option of trying the Dorset Naga, which is one of the hottest chillis in the world," said Alan Lodge, 33, from Battlesbridge Mills.
"Normally people are quite nervous – but once you get one or two willing to give it a go, other people will join in. It's the first year we've done a chilli competition here, but we run a few ourselves as well.
"We told people they were allowed to pull out anytime – so that if anyone got halfway through and couldn't face the next chilli, we weren't going to force them."
Apart from the dreaded Naga, which has a heat rating of 920,000 Scovilles, the next hottest pepper on offer was the Fatalii, which usually comes in at a mere 350,000 Scovilles. Only 22 of the 3,000 visitors took part in the challenge over the two days, with more opting to buy chilli plants and look around the show. "We've been selling lots of chillis, and lots of people wanted advice on how to grow them," said Rosemary Lodge, 56, from Battlesbridge Mills.
"Chillis are very popular now. People's tastes are really changing."
Event manager Anna Baldwin, 41, said: "We've been doing the event for a few years now and this year had a few new additions – the chilli challenge, and an appearance by BBC Masterchef finalist Saira Hamilton, who cooked up a few chilli-based dishes."
The event also featured wine stalls, food and chilli growers, who were available to dish out advice on the best way to grow the plants.
"This event brings in a different audience, and gets younger people interested in trying to grow some chillis of their own," added Ms Baldwin.
Along with the more interactive chilli offerings, the RHS also created a special chilli display for the event, which horticultural team leader Andrew Hellman explained had been planted in January.
He said: "This crop is the best we've ever had, and there are more than 40 varieties on display here. We try to grow a range, from quite mild to real scorchers.
"I think people like the danger of the heat when it comes to chillis, although they all have a unique flavour and are a critical ingredient to cuisine all over the world."
