Morris dancers take to streets to celebrate record achievement

Photo Neil Cross
Stone the Crows Morris dancers celebrate their Guinness world record for biggest dance with other dancers from the area, in Friargate, Preston
Deputy Mayor Coun Brian Rollo presents the certificate to Cat Holden, the squire of Stone the Crows — Photo Neil Cross Stone the Crows Morris dancers celebrate their Guinness world record for biggest dance with other dancers from the area, in Friargate, Preston Deputy Mayor Coun Brian Rollo presents the certificate to Cat Holden, the squire of Stone the Crows

Leyland-based Stone the Crows Border Morris team attempted the record on the Flag Market last September, when 144 dancers turned out to join in the planet’s largest Morris dance.

The group has now had their record approved, and held another day of dance this weekend to celebrate the achievement.

The team re-enacted the dance in the city centre, where they were performing as part of the Lancashire Encounter, and members were presented with a certificate from Deputy Mayor of Preston, Brian Rollo.

Stone the Crows secretary Clare Forster said: “We did our world record last year in the Flag Market.

“The record was 88 people, and we managed to get 144.

“We broke the world record, and we had to submit all our documentation to Guinness.”

The group found out earlier this year that they are official record breakers, and Clare said: “We decided it might be nice to organise a day of dance around the same time as last year, and get our certificate and invite the other teams to celebrate with us.

“It was about celebrating getting the record and getting the certificate presented, and thanking the people who joined us on the day who made it possible.”

The team, along with other Morris dancers, was in Preston’s Friargate as part of Saturday’s Lancashire Encounter celebrations taking place across the city.

Clare said: “It was nice to get people into the street and do some dancing.

“We are proud of it, it’s a nice achievement - we did it to celebrate our 21st birthday last year so it’s a nice record for us.

“And it’s nice to join with other groups and do something notable.

“It’s also keeping the tradition of Morris dancing alive and bringing it more into the limelight, because I think a lot of people aren’t aware of it and aren’t aware that Morris dancing is such a popular activity.

“And it was good fun.”

Coun Brian Rollo, Preston’s deputy mayor who joined in with the group, said: “They were a lovely set of people and we would love to have them back again.

“They were dancing in the Friargate and people were just standing there watching them.

“There were little children who were dancing along and it was quite amazing.

“We are very proud of them, it’s good to have a world record in Preston.”