16 Northern World Records

The largest sticky toffee pudding weighed 334 kg (736 lb 5 oz) and was achieved by Farmhouse Fare Limited (UK), in Nelson, Lancashire, on 17 March 2012.

The most apples bobbed in 3 minutes (team of 6) is 361 and was achieved at an event organised by At Work/Talent Recruitment (UK) and New Heart for Heywood (NDC, UK), in Queens Park, Heywood, on 25 September 2010.

The most baked beans eaten in two minutes by a team of four is 429 and was achieved by Kevin Roberts, Lynn Kay, Tony Clift and Amy Green, in Bolton, on 11 July 2012.

The most darts thrown within the inner and outer bullseyes in one minute is 10 and was achieved by Michael Turner in Oldham, Lancashire, on 16 February 2013 – was equalled by Kevin Moncrief (USA) in Willoughby Hills, Ohio, seven days later.

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 (£500 per 1kg) – 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.

Other records that the Guinness organisation has which involve Lancashire includes the following:

The most times that the same person has won the World Gravy Wrestling championships, held annually at the Rose ‘n’ Bowl pub in Stacksteads, Lancashire, is Joel Hicks, who won the 2009 and 2011 titles from a total of 4 competitive tournaments having been held to date.

The most living figures in a nativity scene is 898 and was achieved by Archbishop Temple School in Preston, on 18 December 2013.

The most wins of the Friends Provident Trophy by a team is seven by Lancashire in 1970- 72, 1975, 1990, 1996, 1998.

The most two finger push ups (two arms) in one minute is 35 and was achieved by Steve Whiteley at St. George’s Church Hall in Chorley, on 9 June 2013.

The most water rockets launched in 24 hours at multiple venues is 2,531 and was achieved by University of Central Lancashire at venues throughout the world, on 5 July 2012.

Left-arm spinner Cyril Perkins (b. Wollaston, Northamptonshire, UK, 4 June 1911) made his first-class debut for Northamptonshire against Middlesex at Lord’s, London, on 6 June 1934 and played his 56th and final game for his home county against Lancashire at Old Trafford, Manchester, on 18–20 August 1937. On 6–7 June 1951, almost 14 years after his Northamptonshire swansong, Cyril (aged 101 years 266 days as of 25 February 2013) made a one-off appearance for the Minor Counties against Kent at Canterbury. Although he retired with 93 first-class wickets to his name and a respectable career bowling average of 36.11 runs conceded per wicket, Cyril never tasted victory in his firstclass career, thus setting an unwanted record for the most first-class cricket matches played without a win (57).

Arthur V. Pedlar of Southport, constructed the smallest ship-in-abottle in a medical phial (1 cc) 2.38 cm (0.9375 in) long, 0.9 cm (0.3543 in) wide, with a neck of 0.2 cm (0.0787 in) in 1956. The ship built was a galleon with three masts, five sails, and three flags.

The tallest roller-coaster in the UK and Europe is the non-inversion steel-track Pepsi-Max Big One at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, designed by Arrow Dynamics Inc. The ride has a chain lift height of 61.3 m 201 ft 1 in, and a first vertical drop of 62.5 m 205 ft 1 in.

A tomato plant grown by Nutriculture Ltd, Mawdesley, reached a height of 19.8 m (65 ft) on 11 May 2000.

The tallest identical twins in the UK are Thomas and James Mollekin of Bolton, who are 6ft 9.97in and 6ft 10.09in respectively. They were measured at the Guinness World Record office on 23 March 2006.

The widest crab in captivity is a 10 ft 2.5 in giant Japanese spider crab named ‘Big Daddy’ living at Sea Life Blackpool. It was measured in Blackpool, on 8 August 2013.