FORGET Wimbledon. Ignore Royal Ascot. Suffolk this weekend played host to the highlight of the summer social season.

The 30th British Open Crabbing Championship brought the glitterati to the Suffolk coast – and managed to provide a local champion.

Daniella Brown, 13, from Ipswich saw off all-comers with her three-and-a-quarter-ounce monster to claim top prize.

She won �50, a gold medal, a silver salver, and a special trophy to mark her achievement.

The monster had been landed thanks to a special recipe of squid and chicken that crabs apparently find irresistible.

This year’s event attracted just over 900 competitors – just below the record number that took part last summer, but Robin Buncombe, vice-president of the British Crabbing Federation, said this made it a much more manageable competition.

He said: “Last year was very difficult for people trying to get in and out of the village. This year things were much better and the competition was hotter than ever.

“We’ve done this for perhaps more years than we care to remember yet we still continue to be astounded at the numbers that travel to Walberswick to participate.”

He added: “We welcome each and every one. Today we can only salute Daniella and the runners-up.

“Unfortunately there can only be one Champion but let us not forget that every entrant is a winner in this competition.

“Today the most frequent comment was ‘we had fun’!”

The first championships were held in 1981 as a way of raising money for the nearby Blythburgh Hospital. Since then the event has donated funds to a variety of local charities.

Last year �1,000 was raised for the Blyth Estuary Group and this year’s proceeds will be donated to East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices’ Treehouse Appeal.

Organisers are already preparing for next year’s event – as it starts its fourth decade.