World's biggest hug supports The Christie cancer unit
Last updated 3/12/2010 9:07:15 AM
World Hugging Record - models were used to recreate the scene
Two students from Greater Manchester are celebrating after breaking the record for the world's longest hug.
Faisal Mohyud-Din and Mohammed Azeem marked the launch of a new radiotherapy centre in Oldham, by remaining clasped to one another for an astonishing 24 hours and 17 minutes.
They smashed the current record in The Christie cancer unit by sixteen minutes, in recognition of the Christie charity logo of two people embracing.
The organisation had asked for volunteer huggers and adjudicators to get involved in the challenge. The intrepid pair from Salford University fought against muscle fatigue and sleep deprivation. But they were committed to their record breaking outcome, they said, because everyone is at risk of suffering from the killer disease.
The Christie Cancer Hospital is opening a new £17m radiotherapy centre in Oldham. Faisal said: "I needed all my reserves of stamina to get through it, but I'm over the moon to have broken the record - hopefully the first of many." Alicia Custis, from The Christie, declared: "This is a hug for all our cancer patients."
For further information on The Christie information go to http://www.christies.org
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