The Isle of Man Examiner has been officially recognised as a world record breaker - for the longest ever bra chain.

The paper set the record last October as part of a fundraising event for its Beat Breast Cancer Appeal.

It smashed the previous record of 3.05 miles with a chain of bras measuring 6.52 miles which were linked together along Douglas promenade.

The Examiner has now received official recognition from the Guinness Book of World Records.

The paper aimed to raise £31,170 - £1 for every woman aged 18 or over on the island - as part of breast cancer awareness month but the total raised has now reached more than £70,000.

Chief reporter John Quirk said: "We were a little daunted by the prospect of collecting 7,000 or 8,000 bras - we thought we had no chance.

"We put bra bins in shops and local businesses and bra manufacturer Triumph donated some old stock so in the end the numbers added up and we hammered the record."

The money raised is being split between three charities - Breakthrough Breast Cancer, Isle of Man Anti-Cancer Association and Noble's Hospital's breast care fund.

John said: "Volunteers from the paper, the three charities and the public came to help out. We stripped the promenade into four sections and attached the bras together."

Isle of Man Newspapers charity committee member Melinda Crosby said: "It's great to finally get the official confirmation from the Guinness Book of World Records of our record breaking achievement.

"It was great fun for everyone who was involved and it really showed how the island's community can work so well together to support a worthwhile cause. The success of the campaign is something of which the entire island should be proud."

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