There are pioneering moments which have such an impact on humankind that they become immortalized in our collective memory. The moment Thomas Edison patented the lightbulb, or Marie Curie became the first woman to receive a Nobel Prize, or Neil Armstrong landed on the moon. Then there are other, quirkier, lesser-known world firsts from the Cotswolds which could be just likely to stick in people’s minds if only they heard about them.
World Woolsack champion In 2007, Pete Roberts set the world’s fastest men’s time in the World Woolsack Championships in Tetbury with 45.94 seconds. Competitors raced up and down Gumstool Hill with 27kg of wool on their shoulders, starting near the Royal Oak pub and finishing at The Crown – around 240 yards.