Only 42 out of the required 1,924 turn up, due to rain forecast
Only 42 out of the required 1,924 turn up, due to rain forecastThe turnout was skimpy, but not in the desired way, when Britain's attemptto put itself on the bikini
world map on Sunday failed miserably.
A bid to set a new world record for the number of women being photographed wearing bikinis in one place failed, after only 42 of the required 1,924 turned up.
A poor weather forecast in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, was blamed for the disappointing turnout.
Organisers had hoped to enter the record books by getting more than 1,923 women wearing swimwear on the sands of the Essex seaside town, beating the number reached in Russia last year.
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One said that only 42 had turned out to raise money for Southend Hospital's breast cancer appeal, the oldest of whom was in her 80s.
Debbie Reynolds (23) said she thought they would at least break the UK record of 320.
She said: "It was sunny and everything, so we thought we'd get a good turnout, but it was very sad when we realised that 42 was the grand total.
"It's pretty rubbish, I must admit. We really need to try harder. It made be feel pretty embarrassed to be British when we can't even mount a decent challenge."
Another participant, Tracy Jones added, "I don't think the terrible weather yesterday and forecast today helped. I think a lot of people made up their minds yesterday."
The RecordOn July 19, 2008 Russian Cosmopolitan's Bikini Boom set a new Guinness world record (see pic).
On Riviera beach in Sochi, 1,923 girls in bikinis formed the word 'Cosmo.ru' in the sand. Sochi will host the Olympic Winter Games in 2014.
