THINGS got pretty heated at Café Rene's music festival this afternoon.
The Gloucester pub and music venue's Man vs Heat Big Chilli Eating Competition was a highlight of the RENE:GADE festival.
Ten daring participants took up the challenge to make their way through a bowl of chilli con carne in 15 minutes before a knock-out contest involving some of the hottest chillies in the world.
They worked their way through the scoville scale from jalapenos, scotch bonnets, habaneros and finally the naga jolokia, which has a heat level of more than one-and-a-half million scoville units.
The Man Vs Food-style competition was so dangerous they had a first aider on site and entrants had to sign a disclaimer.
But everyone came out relatively unscathed by the experience, including Citizen reporter Hayley Mortimer, the only female contestant, who couldn't even finish her bowl of chilli con carne.
Co-organiser Neil Cantillion said: "We have scoured the world for some of the hottest chillies and some have been grown especially for the competition.
"They are extremely hot. It is dangerous."
The event continues into this evening with music, guerrilla street art and a barbecue in the garden.
Live ska, blues, reggae and hip hop awaits music lovers, while street artists including Trix, Flava, AKA and Dice SixtySeven will hold an exhibition at The Cellar Bar.
The free event is raising money for the Severn Area Rescue Association, which was recently targeted by thieves.
