Hastings breaks pirate world record
More than six thousand sea dogs helped Hastings smash the Guinness World Record for most pirates ever in one place.
The previous best was little more than 1,800 and was held by Portland in the US.
However, the people of Hastings took to the challenge set by organiser 'Jolly' Roger Crouch and headed to the beach in their thousands.
Young and old entered the spirit of things, with eye patches and bandanas the order of the day.
And, after a tense wait, the crowd waved their cutlasses and 'ooh-arr'd' in celebration after the Guinness official confirmed Hastings as the new pirate capital of the world.
Shops and bars were full to bursting with gathered buccaneers and the streets were packed with swashbucklers.
And visitors to the town were left scratching their heads at the sight of pirates seen playing crazy golf, eating fish and chips and going about their weekly shopping.
The Observer marked the occasion with a special limited edition pirate front page, and the fun continued in Priory Meadow after an anarchic pirate procession led the crowd from the Old Town to the town centre.
A delighted Roger Crouch said: "This has been brilliant. We smashed the record - what a day!
"Thanks to everyone who got into the spirit of things - we have certainly put Hastings on the map."
See next Friday's Observer for picture spread and full reaction.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Hastings
Sunday 05 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 1 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 1 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: West
