Animal rights group, The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), called for theme park operator Six Flags Inc, based in New York, to cancel a competition in which people will try to break the world cockroach-eating record.

Six Flags first came under fire by animal rights activists for staging a contest as part of a promotion leading up to Halloween offering customers free entry or line-jumping advantages if they eat a live Madagascar hissing cockroach, which grow between 1.5 to 3 inches.

The competition to beat the world cockroach eating record is being held Friday at a Six Flags park in Gurnee, Illinois. Anyone who beats the record will win a season pass for four people for 2007 with VIP queue-jumping status.

Competitors will try to break the current world record, which is held by Ken Edwards of Derbyshire, England, who devoured 36 Madagascar hissing cockroaches in one minute in 2001.

Animal rights group PETA was not amused by the amusement park contest, with PETA spokeswoman Jackie Vergerio telling Reuters, "Insects do not deserve to be eaten alive especially for a gratuitous marketing gimmick."

However Six Flags spokesman James Taylor dismissed any health concerns, and assured that no one who had indulged in this rare delicacy had complained.

"It's something that's supposed to be scary, it's icky, it's gross, it's Halloween fun and it's just one small part of the haunted houses and thrilling rides going on," Taylor said.