Today more than 300,000 people around the world are taking part in record-breaking events for the seventh annual Guinness World Records Day, which commemorates the day in 2004 when Guinness World Records became the world's best-selling copyright book.
Records already confirmed include the Largest Cream Tea Party
(334 participants) held in Essex, UK; Largest Gathering of People
Dressed as Leprechauns (262 participants) in Dublin, Ireland; the
Oldest Yoga Teacher (91 years-old) from Florida, USA; and the
Largest Hula Hoop Workout (221 Kids) in Florida, USA (pictured
above).
The UK got the party started with the Largest Cream Tea
Party. The event took place in Quendon, Essex, where 334
guests were invited to scoff their way through over 400
scones!
Jane Malyon from The English Cream Tea Company, who hosted the event, said: "I'm passionate about sharing quality time with people and the great British tradition of afternoon tea is a favourite way to do this: Strangers became friends over scones, cream, jam and tea - and the atmosphere was as special as this amazing Guinness World Record! I'm thrilled by it all."
In keeping with the national theme, 262 members of the public in
Dublin, Ireland, got into leprechaun costume to break the record
for the Largest Gathering of People Dressed as Leprechauns breaking
the previous American record. Derek Mooney from RTE Radio One
said: "We believe that a record for leprechauns belongs to its
native soil and we're really pleased to bring it back to
Ireland".
To mark the special day, 91 year-old Bernice Mary Bates (USA, b. 30
June 1920) was officially recognised as the Oldest Yoga
Teacher. Bernice, who was presented with her certificate at
the Mainlands Retirement Community Centre in Pinellas Park,
Florida, said: "It's fantastic to get the record on Guinness World
Records Day. I'm truly overwhelmed. I'll continue with
Yoga for as long as I can"
Elsewhere in the US, 221 school children from Longleaf Elementary
School in New Port Richey, Florida were involved in setting a new
record for the Largest Hula Hoop Workout.
On the other side of the globe Australia was also getting involved
in the record-breaking action as 368 children in Melbourne
transformed into 'dancing queens' to set a new record for Largest
Gathering of ABBA Impersonators; The UK created the Largest Tea Bag
(120 kg), organised by All About Tea and displayed on HMS Warrior,
Portsmouth, in the UK; and 211 students from Berkeley High School,
California, USA, performed the Largest Soul Train Dance.
Guinness World Records Editor-in-Chief, Craig Glenday, said:
"Guinness World Records Day is a chance to celebrate not just
incredible individual achievements but also civic and national
pride - whether it's the Irish bringing together leprechauns, the
Brits serving up cream teas or the Americans performing a mass Soul
Train dance. This year, it seems to be about bringing records back
home to the people who are most passionate about enjoying their
culture and national identity."
All records set on Guinness World Records Day 2011 will be
short-listed for inclusion in next edition of the book - the
Guinness World Records 2012 edition is currently at the top of the
UK's bestseller list.
To follow live updates from today's GWR Day events, head to www.guinnessworldrecords.com/gwrday
