The contest on Saturday is being staged as part of the annual Sweetcorn Festival at the maize maze on the outskirts of York, and
competitors are being invited to chomp their way through a record number of cobs.

Farmer Tom Pearcy, who is responsible for creating the maze each year, said: "The current world record is held by Crazy Legs Conti, from New York, who chomped through 34 three-quarter ears of corn in 12
minutes.

"The qualities for a good competitive eater are determination, fitness, technique and – for sweetcorn – a good set of teeth."

During Saturday's festival, a sweetcorn barbeque will also be served up and
children will be able to enter an "eating corn niblets with a toothpick" challenge.

Mr Pearcy added: "Now that the summer has finally arrived and the maize has grown to its normal height, Saturday will be a day of events to celebrate the wonderful plant that York Maze is made from."

James Bond has been chosen as this summer's theme for the maize maze, in part because of the year – 2007 – and also because it is the 30th anniversary of Mr Pearcy's favourite Bond film, The Spy Who Loved Me.

An image of Sir Roger Moore, who played Bond in the movie, has been created for what is believed to be the biggest maize maze in the world along with 007's famous Aston Martin
DB5.

The maize maze is located in a field next to Grimston Bar park and ride and is open daily from 10am until 7pm until September 9, and then at weekends for the rest of the month.