Mayor is sundae school's fastest desserter

MESS: Dan Broughton (left), John Booth, Carterton mayor, and Constable Matthew Waugh take part in a chocolate sundae eating challenge.

Carterton mayor John Booth is embracing his hometown's chocolate festival - but not with both hands.

Mr Booth took part in a good-humoured moment of entertainment for the over-65s at the Chocol'Art Festival at Carterton Events Centre, by indulging in a chocolate sundae eating competition with both hands behind his back.

He was competing against the website designer for the Chocol'Art website, Dan Broughton, and police Constable Matthew Waugh.

Despite pauses for air, Mr Booth finished first, even though the sundaes had melted to slurping point.

The Chocol'Art Festival was holding a Chocolate Bix Memories afternoon for those 65 and over, in the youth centre section of the Event Centre.

Visitors played a game of stacking chocolate chip biscuits as high as they could go, or go "fishing" with Velcroed fishing lines for chocolate fish icons.

Mr Booth said he mildly regretted the rapid sundae consumption, as he had a long drive to Ohakune ahead of him.

He told the audience he admired the organisers for providing events for the community, and noted there were clearly "a lot of chocolate lovers here.

"Be like a kid, and pinch as many as you can," he joked.