Marines denied march record... for wearing the wrong trousers

AFTER marching for 26.2 miles while carrying 40lb of kit, a team of eight Royal Marines were understandably ecstatic when they crossed the finishing line in the fastest ever time.

But now the men who completed the Speed March, a prestigious Forces’ marathon challenge, have been denied a place in the record books – because they were wearing the wrong trousers.

Officials at Guinness, the governing body for world records, have refused to ratify their time of four hours, 16 minutes and 43 seconds, which is two minutes faster than the previous best.

The disappointed Marines had worn modern, standard-issue trousers, which allow relatively easy movement.

The previous record-holders – from the 29th Commando Regiment Royal Artillery – had been wearing less flexible ‘military denims’.

The Royal Marines’ team leader, Major Scotty Mills, has now launched an appeal.

He argued that ‘military denims’ are no longer even in production, and said that his team – two of whom had sacrificed honeymoons to train for the challenge – deserve the record after completing the course in October last year.

He said: ‘I know in my heart of hearts that the boys have done the 26.2 miles carrying 40lb of weight, broken the world record time in good order, as a team with their brothers by their side.’

‘What trousers we were wearing is irrelevant.’

The 2017 march was the third time that the team had attempted the break the record.

In 2012, they finished two minutes outside the previous best. And the following year, one man collapsed just half a mile from end with the record in reach.

Last night, a Guinness spokesman said: ‘We can confirm that an appeal has been made and further evidence has been received for review.’