Surfers hold out for record chain

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More than 150 surfers took to the water in an attempt to set a world record "surfer chain".

Organisers of the event in Swansea Bay say they hope better photographic evidence will help convince Guinness World Record officials.

An attempt last year with almost 200 surfers was rejected because it was not clear they were all holding hands.

Simon Harris said: "There weren't as many people as last year - but we think it's still a world record."

The event was part of Bae Fest 2009, a one-day charity fundraising beach festival to promote the area's sandy waterfront and raise awareness of environmental issues affecting local beaches and the surfers who use them.

Mr Harris said surfer chains started as a way of remembering surfers who had died at sea.

He said there had not been a record set previously for the number of surfers in a chain.

The record attempt was part of a festival to promote the area's beaches

At last year's beach festival, 193 surfers took part in the chain but the attempt was disallowed because judges could not be certain everyone was holding hands at the same time.

Mr Harris said organisers made sure they had better photographic evidence for this year's event, including aerial photography and video, of the 152 people taking part.

He said: "Last year there was one point in the chain where they couldn't be sure if everyone was holding hands.

"This year we made sure we had enough evidence - with a video in the middle of the chain."

The footage and photos have been sent to Guinness World Records, he added.

"Surfers in California and Cornwall have threatened to try and beat the record. We hope to keep this event going every year," he said.