And Help the Hospices staff were a vital part of the victorious herd, which claimed the Guinness World Record for being the largest number of pantomime horses in a race over 100 metres.
The national hospice charity is one of six charities benefiting from the Text Santa appeal this year and speaking live on ITV’s This Morning programme, Matthew Urch, a volunteer for the charity said: “Help the Hospices is a charity close to my heart and they provide essential support for all more than 200 hospices across the UK.”
Bracing the bitterly cold British weather at Kempton Park race course, 106 volunteers from ITV and the six chosen charities were put into pairs and dressed in the festive pantomime costumes.
At 11.45am, broadcasting live to the nation and with a helping hand from comedian and impressionist, Jon Culshaw, a claxon sounded and the 100 metre ‘horse race’ got underway.
Watched closely by a Guinness World Record official, the record attempt was confirmed a success as the final pantomime horse race trotted across the finish line, beating the previous holder by 11 horses.
Jeff Brazier, who was presenting the feature on the ITV daytime show, then popped the champagne cork and received the official Guinness World Record certificate.
You can see the record-breaking race on This Morning’s website, and see more images from the event here on ehospice.
To find out more about this year’s Text Santa appeal, visit the website.
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