VIDEO - Tour de Farce: Guinness officials puncture pupils' dream

World record dreams of over 1,000 children have been punctured after officials at Guinness ruled their human bicycle was not enough to make it into the record books.
The world record attempt at Warwick Castle. Image by Chris Fossey PhotographyThe world record attempt at Warwick Castle. Image by Chris Fossey Photography
The world record attempt at Warwick Castle. Image by Chris Fossey Photography

The 1,017 primary pupils from across Warwick hoped to smash the existing record of 974 people after assembling into the largest human image of a bicycle earlier this month.

Excited pupils had just five minutes to get into place and create the image in the grounds of Warwick Castle.

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But their efforts fell flat when they were told they had failed to meet strict requirements of the Guinness World Record team - for leaving too many patches in the wheels.

Disappointed children will now only receive a photograph of their effort to help keep spirits high after the bad news.

A Warwickshire County Council spokesperson said: “Guinness said that there were too many patches of green in the bike wheels.

“Understandably, the county council team and participants were disappointed to receive the news.

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“We are providing a framed photograph for the schools as a thank you for what remains a fantastic achievement which produced an impressive photograph for the children and the castle.

“While it is sad news, it was still a great experience for the children involved and really helped boost the profile of the Aviva Women’s tour in Warwickshire, which was a great success.”

The attempt in early June was held to coincide with the Aviva Women’s Tour which will came through the town on June 16 during the second stage of the five-day cycle race.

Numbers were made up using 524 pupils from Coten End, 187 from West Gate, 100 from Briar Hill and 100 from Newburgh primary school - with some help from teachers and staff members.

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The children had just five minutes to create the image, as stipulated by stringent Guinness World Record criteria, and were verified by timekeepers from Leamington Cycling and Athletics Club.

The current record now remains at 794 people after being set in Cumbria by the Silloth-on-Solway community during the Tour of Britain in September 2015.

You can see their record-holding bicycle image here.