Record breakers bear up in the rain

Monday 30th June 2008, 11:30AM BST.

A WORLD record has been smashed by 1,714 islanders and their teddy bears.

The record for the longest human/teddy chain was only 631 people and 630 bears until Ron Hardy, a member of the Multiple Sclerosis Society, decided Guernsey could do better.

‘I wanted to absolutely smash it, not just beat it,’ he said.

Credit Suisse director and chief organiser Trevor Kelham said he was very moved by the dedication and enthusiasm of islanders who waited for well over an hour in the cold. It was Mr Kelham who was responsible for the final count. To officially break the record, everybody on the beach had to be in a fixed human/teddy bear chain for 90 seconds.
As the countdown finished, everyone raised their arms and cheered. ‘This is my proudest day as an adopted Guernseyman,’ said Mr Kelham.