The contest is held annually in Devon, England. Of course, nettles are not harmful to eat in the slightest. Nettle soup is a classic countryside dish – but the nettles used in soup are cooked thoroughly, removing their sting. In this contest, the nettles are ingested raw, meaning that they sting the competitor's mouth and throat. Nettle leaves are covered in tiny needles which are full of stinging chemicals, which causes a huge amount of discomfort when it comes into contact with human flesh. The competitors are only allowed to take small sips of beer every once and a while. The prize? £100