RNIB smashes reading record

The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has led a successful Guinness World Record attempt for the world's longest reading relay.

Each of the 317 participants, who included blind and partially sighted people, read a sentence aloud from chosen book The Double Eagle Has Landed by Anthony Horowitz during the event, at Waterstone's in Piccadilly Circus, London.

The previous reading relay record, set in Austria, was beaten by a margin of 27 people. Lesley-Anne Alexander, chief executive of RNIB, read out the first line of the book. She said: 'This is a fantastic result, and not only are RNIB now Guinness World Record holders, it has been great to hold an event which is open to everyone of all levels of sight and reading abilities.'