A CRACKING Christmas record has been smashed twice in two days and is now held by Haslingden High School.
A grand total of 1,431 adults and children were recorded in the tennis courts of the high school wearing Christmas jumpers, cardigans or outfits.
That smashed the new record claimed by employees from Jewson branches across the UK just two days earlier who managed to get 1,187 people together.
The school’s staff and students were joined in the record breaking bid by pupils and staff from nearby Broadway Primary School.
Each jumper wearer was individually bar coded and scanned and 40 community volunteers adjudicated to verify the authenticity of every participant.
Jumpers of all kinds were seen including one worn by Caitlin Abbott, 14, that had been knitted by her mother.
Although the group was out on the tennis court for a long time, the mood was very festive with students singing Rudolph and other Christmas songs.
The idea for the event began with students who are taking part in a Youth Enterprise Challenge to raise money for Rossendale Hospice.
They suggested holding a non-uniform day to Head of PSHE Kate Sieg-Hogg and before long it had escalated into the world record attempt.
Kate said: “I am absolutely thrilled to bits. It is an amazing achievement and I am so grateful to everyone for taking part.
“When you realise the processes you have to go through to do something like this and all the organisation involved, it would not have been possible without the help of so many people.”
The event raised more than £1,000 for Rossendale Hospice along with additional money for the school’s ruby 40th anniversary celebrations.
Art House, mentors of the Youth Enterprise team, arranged the bar codes and scanners and a drone, provided by Farrow and Farrow Estate Agents, flew over the tennis courts to provide an aerial film.
Head Teacher Mark Jackson said: “It was absolutely fantastic. The whole community came together and it was just brilliant.
“We had students from Years 7 to 11 and up to 13 along with pupils from Broadway and they all made this possible.
“It has taken a lot of organisation and Kate has been brilliant. It is lovely for the whole school and we have gone into Christmas on a high.”
The school is now sending all the information off to Guinness World Records.
Photographs taken by Liz Henson Photography