A GIANT challenge for those with even bigger appetites has been laid down by a Bradford restaurant in aid of the Telegraph & Argus Bradford Crocus Cancer Appeal.
Omar's Balti House in Great Horton Road is looking for curry lovers to have a go at their giant naan bread contest.
Customers will have 35 minutes to eat a balti dish of their choice and a naan measuring 3ft by 1ft 6ins on their own.
More than 700 people, from around the UK, have taken on the challenge over the last ten years but so far no-one has conquered it.
University of Bradford students often try to rise to the task, with some from a far afield as Australia trying their best.
A week's holiday to Barcelona and £100 spending money is up for grabs for anyone with a healthy appetite who can complete the task, which costs £25 for each participant.
Omar's will also be donating £500 from the cash raised by the feat to the Telegraph & Argus Bradford Crocus Cancer Appeal.
The Telegraph & Argus is working in partnership with the University of Bradford, Yorkshire Cancer Research and Sovereign Health Care Charitable Trust to reach the target.
The cash will be used to buy a new piece of kit, called a proteomics mass spectrometer, for use by researchers at the university's Institute of Cancer Therapeutics.
The culinary challenge is the latest event for the charity, which aims to raise £1million.
Mohammad Sadiq, owner of Omar's, said it had achieved a "bit of a cult status" and urged more people to accept the naan test.
He said: "I think somebody will do it soon.
"They can choose any type of naan bread they like. It is some size.
"We hope we can raise £500 for the Crocus Appeal within the next month.
"The challenge has got a bit of a cult status now too.
"A lot of customers come from all over the place to try it.
"This challenge has been going on for the last ten years."
Omar's is open to any customer who wants to take on the naan challenge between 5pm and 1am daily.
To make a donation to the Crocus Appeal, text the word CROCUS to 70800 to make a one-off donation of £5, make a cheque payable to T&A Bradford Crocus Cancer Appeal, or make a cash donation to Telegraph & Argus Newspaper, Hall Ings, Bradford, BD1 1JR or University of Bradford, Richmond Building reception, BD7 1DP. Lloyds banks in the Bradford area will also accept donations over the counter.
HOW I TOOK ON GIANT NAAN... AND LOST
by MARK STANFORD
I CAME, I saw, but I couldn't conquer.
A total of 700 curry lovers have gone before me at Omar's and failed and now I can be added to that list.
Close up and in front of me, the 3ft by 1.5ft naan bread was an absolute beast. It looked more like a blanket.
I love a good curry and like a naan to go with it, but this daring doughy task got the better of me.
I deliberately didn't eat much in the hours leading up to the challenge but that didn't help my cause either.
It got off to a decent start and I kept dipping the naan into the balti dish and sauces, including mint yoghurt, that were in front of me.
Drinking around two pints of water during my allotted 35 minutes seemed to help it go down a little easier though.
I managed to eat almost half of my monstrous meal but I don't think I will be ordering a naan bread for a long time.
Man vs Food... but the latter won on this occasion.
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