Revellers paint Spanish town red in annual tomato fight

Tens of thousands of people from around the world hurled tons of ripe tomatoes at each other Wednesday in an annual food fight that leaves the eastern Spanish town of Bunol covered in red juice.

A rocket fired from the town hall was the cue for start of the event for which local authorities provided 120 tonnes of tomatoes. Many revellers, including many from Britain, France, Germany, Russia and Asia, wore hard hats, goggles or protective plastic sheets.

Shopkeepers put up huge plastic covers on their storefronts to protect their properties from the sea of red mush.

An estimated 40,000 people took part in the event this year, more than four times the population of the town located in a fertile region some 40 kilometres north of the coastal city of Valencia, Spain''''s third-largest city.

Spain''''s Olympic men''''s water polo team, which finished in fifth place at the Games in China, were among the participants, according to the town council.

After a battle lasting about one hour, municipal workers and local residents used giant hoses to clear the streets of tomato pulp.

The participants meanwhile headed to a nearby river where hundreds of temporary showers were set up.

The "Tomatina" is held each year on the last Wednesday in August. The origins of the event are unclear although it is thought to have its roots in a food fight between childhood friends in the mid-1940s in Bunol.

一年一度的“西红柿大战”于本周三在西班牙东部小镇布尼奥上演，来自世界各地的好几万人互相投掷熟透的西红柿嬉戏狂欢，整个小镇也被涂上了一层红红的番茄汁。

当天，市政厅广场放出一记礼炮，标志着西红柿狂欢节的开幕，当地政府则提供了120吨西红柿“炮弹”。

前来参加狂欢节的人之中有不少来自英国、法国、德国、俄罗斯和亚洲等地，很多人戴着头盔，护眼镜或塑料挡板以保护自己免受伤害。

店铺的老板们则在店面前挂上了大幅塑料布，以防这场“红色战争”殃及店里的货物。

今年约有四万人参加了“西红柿大战”，参与人数为当地人口的四倍多。布尼奥小镇所处之地肥沃富庶，这一地区位于西班牙第三大城市、重要港口巴伦西亚市以北约40公里处。

据镇议会介绍，在北京奥运会上获得第五名的西班牙男子水球队也参加了狂欢。

持续了约一小时的“西红柿大战”结束后，环卫工人和当地居民用大水管清洗涂满厚厚番茄泥的街道。

而刚刚结束“红色大战”的人们则开往附近的一条河，那里临时安装了几百个淋浴喷头。

“西红柿大战”通常在每年8月份的最后一个周三举行。这项活动的起源尚不清楚，但传说是起源于上世纪40年代中期当地孩童之间用食物互相扔掷打闹的习俗。