Guinness World Record Book celebrates 60th birthday

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Heavy twins, skinny waists and the world's longest fingernails are just some of the bizarre records awarded since the launch of the Guinness World Records book 60 years ago.

Over 134 million copies of the book have been sold in more than 100 countries since the idea was dreamt up in 1955.

Here is a look at some of the records set in the North West:

Biggest Pancake

  • The Co-operative Union Ltd based in Manchester, England, organised the making of a pancake measuring 15.01 m (49 ft 3 in) in diameter and 2.5 cm (1 in) deep at Rochdale, Greater Manchester on August 13, 1994.

Fastest speed dragged behind a motorbike

  • Gary Rothwell, from Liverpool, was dragged behind a motorcycle at a speed of 251.54 km./h. (156.3 m.p.h.) on 2 mm. (0.07 in.) titanium-soled boots at Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground, Leicester, England on April 18, 1999.

Most expensive pie

  • The most expensive pie cost customers to the Fence Gate Inn, Lancashire £8,195 or £1,024 per slice when ordered by eight guests on 14 November 2005. The pie's ingredients includes £500 worth of Japanese wagyu beef fillet (from cattle who treated so well they are even massaged), Chinese matsutake mushrooms- so precious, they are harvested under guard, Winter Black truffles, French Bluefoot mushrooms at £200 per 1 kg, gravy made from made two bottles of vintage 1982 Chateau Mouton Rothschild wine at £1,000 each and finally the pastry topped with edible gold leaf costing £100 per sheet.

File picture of a pie - this is not the record breaker! Credit: PA

The largest eccles cake weighed 56.2 kg (123 lb 14 oz) and was made by Martins Foods (UK) for the Salford Food and Drink Festival in Manchester, UK, on 1 October 2008.

The largest eccles cake weighed 56.2 kg Credit: Salford City Council

Wii Fit Hula Hoop

  • The highest score on Wii Fit Plus Hula Hooping (Wii) is 333 and was achieved by Lydia Finn (UK) in Lancashire, UK on 10 February 2015.

Longest distance danced in a conga

  • The longest distance danced in conga line is 5.487 km (3.41 miles) and was achieved by 14 members of staff from the Salford and Stretford Tesco stores (UK) at the Manchester United Football Club, Manchester, UK, on 2 December 2012.

Credit: Guinness World Records

Scan and bag

  • The fastest time to scan and bag 12 shopping items is 18.65 seconds and was achieved by Anna Ingram (UK) in Southport, UK on 27 August 2014. The record was attempted as part of a week long fundraising event in which a total of over £250 was raised.

Anna Ingram in Southport Credit: Guinness World Records

Fastest time to duct tape person to a wall

  • The fastest time to duct tape a person to a wall is 28.53 seconds, achieved by Simon Damp who taped Lindsey Ainscough to a wall at Bolton Whites Hotel in Bolton on 29 July 2014

Other records include:

  • The most people doing sit-ups simultaneously is 503, achieved by Hathershaw College (UK) in Oldham, Manchester, UK on 18 May 2015

  • All people continuously performed sit ups for over one minute

  • The most expensive tooth sold at auction cost £23,010 ($36,857) and was bought by Dr Michael Zuk (Canada) at the Omega Auction House in Stockport, Cheshire, UK, on 5 November 2011. The tooth is reported to have belonged to John Lennon. The final hammer price was £19,500 and the auction house commission was £3,510

  • The most people exercising to a fitness video is 3,277 participants, and was achieved by NHS Halton CCG, Halton Borough Council and Widnes Vikings (all UK) in Cheshire, UK, on 5 February 2015

  • The most worms charmed at the World Worm Charming Championships is 567 and was achieved by Sophie Smith, then 10, at the 2009 Championships, in Willaston on 27 June 2009. The competitors have 30 minutes to charm as many worms as possible out of a 3 m² plot.

Sophie Smith - record breaking worm charmer! Credit: http://www.wormcharming.com/