The running of the jaffa balls

The running of the balls. Photo / Otago Daily Times

Pamplona may have the running of the bulls, but Dunedin has the running of the balls.

Around 10,000 people lined the world's steepest street - Baldwin St in Dunedin - for the annual Cadbury Jaffa Race today. (FRI)

At 12.35pm, 25,000 giant red Jaffas began rumbling down the street, with the first rolling Jaffa home in 35 seconds.

The second race, pitted 25,000 giant black and white Jaffas.

The street has a gradient of 19 and the 350m race track drops from 100m above sea level to just 10m.

Stilt-walkers, clowns and jugglers threaded the crowd, while small children watched the action from parents' shoulders.

Baldwin St residents had some of the best seats in the house.

"It's been great fun. We get all our friends around with their kids,'' mother of three Hayley Smeaton said.

"My three-year-old, Jacob, thinks a chocolate factory is going to come rolling down the hill.''

The 50,000 individually-numbered Jaffas were sold for $1 apiece, with the first five in each race to reach a chute at the bottom winning prizes for their owners.

Cadbury New Zealand managing director Alastair De Raadt said the event raised $24,560 for Parents Centre of New Zealand and $25,000 for Cure Kids.

The annual event has raised more than $450,000 for local charities, since it debuted in 2002.