Children across Norfolk helped in a world record attempt yesterday as they sang heads, shoulders, knees and toes in unison.

Children across Norfolk helped in a world record attempt yesterday as they sang heads, shoulders, knees and toes in unison.

The effort was part of the I CAN charity's Chatterbox Challenge which aims to support children with speech and language difficulties.

It chose the simple ditty which mixes words and actions as the perfect vehicle for the attempt which saw children repeating the song for a full five minutes under the watchful eye of official adjudicators.

By the afternoon charity representatives said they were hopeful that at least 11,000 youngsters had taken part, smashing the current record which stands at 1,462.

Rebecca Winterbotham, speech and language therapist at Seagulls, Sure Start Children's Centre in Gorleston, said 46 children had added to the national total there.

'All of them were watching and having a good go. Even if they couldn't quite get it the first time round, they were all joining in by the end,' she said.

At Great Yarmouth Library 50 children took part, while pupils at Shrublands Pre-School and Wroughtan Infants School also did their bit.

Another 60 youngsters joined in at the Pavilion Pre-School Nursery in Attleborough. A further 50 children from the Stepping Stones Pre-School and village primary school at Aldborough, near Cromer, joined the singalong in a chilly playground, where local vicar the Rev Brian Faulkner and villager Jean Cooke were the independent witnesses.

While in Mattishall, a total of 92 children and parents joined forces to complete the sing song together at the Rocking Horse Daycare. As well as Rocking Horse, there were youngsters and adults from the Little Angels toddler group at All Saints Church, Mattishall Pre-School, Bishy Barnabees Day Nursery, Mattishall Toddlers Group.