In pictures: Guinness World Record day

The editors of the original Guinness Book of Records, Norris and Ross McWhirter Photograph: David Graves/Rex Features

2003: Wei Shengchu, who holds the record for self-acupuncture - 1,790 needles in his face. Seen here after his one-man show with a lighter load Photograph: China Photos/Getty

2007: The cast of musical Spamalot (and 4,000 helpers) break the record for the largest coconut orchestra, playing along to Always Look on the Bright Side of Life in London's Trafalgar Square Photograph: David Levene/Freelance

2000: In a self-referential coup, Professor Dick Moodie examines a bee fitted with knee bands carrying the world's smallest advert for Guinness World Records. Sales jumped massively amongst hive communities Photograph: PA/PA

2003: Ma Li Hua of Beijing setting up some of the 300,000 dominoes in her record-breaking solo domino topple. She spent 13 hours a day for 40 days painstakingly standing the dominoes on end and not sneezing Photograph: Jonathan Drake/EPA

2007: The world's tallest man, Bao Xishun (2.36m tall), shakes hands with He Pingping (73cm tall). The nineteen-year-old is applying to be recognised as the world's shortest man Photograph: AP

2003: The world's most pierced woman, Elaine Davidson, reacts after meeting the worlds most magnetic man (not seen) Photograph: Bruno Vincent/Getty

2002: BD Tyagi of Bhopal, India, demonstrating that growing the world's longest ear hair is a serious matter, and one best avoided by amateurs Photograph: Prakash Hatvalne/AP

2005: Jose 'Cueto' Castelar of Cuba smashes his own previous record for the longest hand-rolled cigar (11.4m) with a 20.41m monster Photograph: Luis Acosta/AFP

2005: 500,000 bees smash the record for human-shaped formation flying, ably helped by Colombian beekeeper Norberto Marin Tellez. Coincidentally, Tellez simultaneously attempted the record for wearing the largest mantle of bees Photograph: EPA