Record-breaking Bucks pair smash world record at Tring Squash Club for Aylesbury charity

A pair of amateur squash players from Bucks smashed a world record to raise funds for a well-known Aylesbury charity.

Alex Preston and Michael Pearce competed in the longest game of squash ever recorded in Tring.

After completing an exhaustive training schedule, which included running 160 miles a week, and regularly playing squash matches for six hours, the pair became record-holders.

Somehow the amateur athletes surpassed their staggering target of playing for 40 consecutive hours, going head-to-head for 40 hours, one minute and 59 seconds officially.

In the process of completing the scarcely believable game the pair raised £9500 for Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity.

Alex said “I can’t thank the team, club, volunteers, and my opponent enough for the experience and the achievement. It was extra special that a number of us were gathered together for a birthday lunch at the moment that we discovered the news of our certification by Guinness World Record.

“My motivation in this stems from losing my amazing Mum last year to cancer. She provided everything to me and my siblings including building Thame Squash Club at enormous financial risk to herself and my older siblings in 1975. We wanted to raise money for Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity where mum spent some of her last days, and a squash challenge seemed a perfect way to do it.”

Money raised from the challenge is funding a new bladder scanner for Florence Nightingale Hospice at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

Currently, the hospice has to borrow a scanner from the hospital or move the patient to the hospital.

Florence Nightingale Hospice states that this process can cause stress and delays for patients.

Michael added “It was a big relief to have our world record attempt confirmed by Guinness this week. Receiving the official certificate really helped the achievement sink in. This was a fantastic achievement for the whole team involved in making this possible.”

It is still hoped the pair might reach £10,000 raised for the charity, their fundraiser can be accessed online here.