Cuba’s José Castelar on Tuesday finished rolling one large cigar – at 81.8 metres, his fifth Guinness world record.
“Cuba is the country where the best tobacco is grown, and as long as Cueto is around, Cuba will have the world’s longest cigar,” Mr Castelar told reporters, referring to himself by his nickname.
Mr Castelar, 67, had been working on the super-stogie since April 25, toiling away about eight hours a day.
His new goal – another record he could set by topping 100 meters.
Mr Castelar’s new record cigar could be smoked but won’t be – it is used for promotional events. (AFP)
Runaway bride
An Italian groom left hanging at the altar after his runaway bride changed her mind at the last minute because she was in love with another man is now suing her for €500,000.
The 32-year-old said he had suffered emotional and material damages after booking a villa for the wedding outside Rome, reserving a honeymoon on a Pacific island and refurbishing an apartment to his fiancèe’s tastes.
The report by Italy’s Ansa news agency said the man, referred to only by his first name, Riccardo, was already in the church when his fiancée’s brother told him she would not be coming and the priest cancelled the service.
He and his family had borne all the costs for the wedding. (AFP)
Record scone?
An attempt is to be made to make the world’s largest scone – 2.4 metres in diameter.
The unofficial record bid will take place at the Devon County Show on May 19 to help promote a campaign to have the Devon cream tea granted European Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status, currently awarded to products like champagne, Roquefort cheese and Melton Mowbray pork pies.
The scone will be served at the showground outside Exeter with clotted cream and jam, with up to 3,000 portions sold off to raise money for charity. (PA)
Window display
Department store chain Debenhams is hoping to help women over the embarrassment of having bras fitted – by measuring women in its window displays.
Debenhams claimed embarrassment is causing 85 per cent of the female population to wear the wrong sized bra because they are too shy to be measured.
Bra fittings will also be streamed live on Debenhams’ Facebook page. (PA)
Farm fun
The National Trust is looking for thousands of would-be farmers for an online experiment which will see them make decisions on running a working farm.
The MyFarm scheme, partly inspired by the online farming game Farmville, will involve 10,000 people in the management of Wimpole Home Farm, Cambridgeshire.
The MyFarm website will include video updates, webcams, information about farming and expert opinion, aims to reconnect people with where their food comes from. (PA)
Gone to pot
Two grandmothers have been arrested accused of running a huge marijuana growing operation in California.Aleen Lam, 72, and Virginia Chan Pon, 65, were caught after neighbours called police to report a burglary in San Mateo County. When officers arrived they found 800 marijuana plants, thousands in cash and a bypass that allowed the women to tap into a power line to steal electricity. (PA)
Superman returns
Thieves have returned a historical plaque that stood near the Cleveland house where two school friends created the Superman character in 1933.It was left undamaged outside a fire station. It honours Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Police suspect the thieves thought it was bronze and planned to sell it as scrap metal. (PA)
Naked runner
A US marathon runner who stripped during a race stunned US authorities who then gave him a jolt with a Taser.Brett Henderson, 35, was arrested for “public indecency”during the Flying Pig Marathon on Sunday, the Cincinnati Inquirer reported.
When police saw that Mr Henderson was missing his shorts, they ordered him into their car but he kept running. (AFP)