Marathon anglers reel in record

A record that had stood for 259 years was smashed by a marathon fishing duo on Clarence Pier, Southsea, as they claimed a new world nonstop fishing record as well.

Eddie Collins, from Ryde, and Alan Roberts, from North End, Portsmouth, planned to continue until the middle of December the marathon they had started in October.

In the presence of an official adjudicator appointed by the Guinness Book of Records, they passed the 285 hours 43 minutes record of three Americans. Their marathon was fished under the same rules of six hours on and four off for each man. Asked if they had any thoughts of giving up now they had broken the record, both men said: ‘Certainly not, we’re British!’