Its medieval catapult, known as the trebuchet, has always been the tallest of its type in the world - but after flinging a 13.5 kilogramme weight 228 metres it is now officially the most powerful as well.

Judges from the Guinness Book of Records watched the display and measured the war machine's power output at 3,286 kilogram metres.


WHAT DO YOU THINK?
We'd like to hear your views on this story. You can send us your comments by simply clicking on this email:
This is what I think

SEND US YOUR STORIES
If you have a story for our newsdesk, please click on the following link:
Click here to email your report


That easily broke the previous record of 3,011 kgm - set in Holland last year - and in terms of power is the equivalent of throwing a one kilogram bag of sugar three kilometres.

Warwick Castle spokeswoman Jo Biggs said: "We were confident we could break the world record and are thrilled to have actually done it.

"To add to the suspense, an earlier test shot fell short of reaching the distance required - but the crucial shot easily beat it.

"The trebuchet is an amazing machine and we are really proud to have a record breaker here."

These giant catapults, which weigh 22 tonnes, were effective weapons in siege warfare and were used between the 13th and 15th centuries for throwing carcasses and dead prisoners, among other disease-spreading and damaging projectiles, over walls and into fortifications.

Trebuchet master Nick Glew, 35, said: "We have been averaging between 230 and 250 metres so were were confident but the recent bad weather had caused us some problems.

"The machine doesn't work too well in the wet, so we were relieved to break the record."