99-Year-Old Abseiler Makes Record Book

12 September 2013, 07:42 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

Hampshire's made lots of contributions to the latest Guinness World Records book, including a new entry for the oldest abseiler.

The 2014 edition of the famous book is released today (Thursday 12 September).

In a new record, the oldest person to abseil is Doris Cicely Long MBE from Hayling Island, (pictured) who on her 99th birthday abseiled the 35m (114 ft 9.95 in) Mercantile House in Portsmouth, on 18 May 2013.

Hampshire inventor Edd China has three records in the book.

The fastest office is a roadworthy desk traveling at a maximum speed of 87 mph (140 km/h). It was created and driven by Edd across Westminster Bridge into the City of London on 9 November 2006 as part of Guinness World Records Day.

He also made and drove the fastest mobile bed, which reached a maximum speed of 69 mph (111 km/h) along a private road in London on 7 November 2008 as part of Guinness World Records Day 2008.

And the fastest garden shed is the "Gone to Speed", which can travel to a speed of 58.41 mph (94 km/h), presented on the set of Lo Show Dei Record, in Milan, Italy, on 1 April 2011.

The largest maypole dance involved 173 participants at an event organised by Victory House (UK) at The Hurst Community College, in Baughurst near Basingstoke on 18 July 2012.

The fastest marathon dressed as a fairy (female) was 3 hr 20 min 52 sec by Emily Foran from Portsmouth at the Virgin London Marathon on 17 April 2011.

The fastest marathon in film character costume (female) is 3 hr 53 min 40 sec by Alisa Vanlint as Princess Leia at the Virgin London Marathon on 25 April 2010.

The fastest speed on a lawnmower is 141.35 km/h (87.83 mph) driven by Don Wales (UK) of Project Runningblade in Pendine near Romsey on 23 May 2010.

Other UK record holders include James Brown from Nottingham, whose collection of 322 takes the title for Largest Collection of Vacuum Cleaners and Ozzy, a four and a half year old Border Collie/Kelpie crossbreed from Norfolk who is officially the fastest canine on all fours on a tightrope, crossing a 3.5m stretch in just 18.22 seconds, earning him the title Fastest Crossing on a Tightrope by a Dog.
 
Other towns and cities making the book include the Fastest Dining Set (Bedfordshire); Largest Triangle Ensemble with 575 participants (Cambridgeshire); Fastest Theatrical Production, produced in a speedy 22 hours (Essex); Largest Maypole Dance with 173 people (Hampshire); and Heaviest Weight Pulled with the Tongue (113kg / Edinburgh).