World record bid underway

IAN CLARKE

”Let's go and get on our kits!”

With those words from Janel Spalding, she and six fellow drummers launched their bid today to become world record holders.

Having started bang on 10am, the group aims to be at their kits non-stop for 60 hours until 10pm tomorrow.

A crowd of well wishers did the traditional countdown and gave them a big cheer as the marathon endurance got underway.

The record attempt is going on at the JDT Music School on the Rash's Green Industrial Estate at Dereham, which was opened five years ago by Janel, 38.

The others making the bid for history with her are Nathan Gregory, 15, Ryan Murray, 17, Steven Corrigan, 17, Phillip Barber, 18, Lara Leuw, 24, and Chris Neal, 26.

Marcus Leuw had been due to be involved but had to withdraw as he was unwell.

Janel was joined for the start by her two-year-old son Neo, who had his own little drum kit and proudly wore a “my mum rocks!” t-shirt.

The Dereham music school first broke the team drumming record in 2002 when they completed 48 hours and 15 minutes.

After it was beaten by four hours by a group from Coventry, JDT vowed to make a fresh bid and have been preparing for a year.

They have been given expert advice on the pain and tiredness they will endure as they go through three days and two nights - and they can only have five minutes break per one hour completed.

During the first few hours the drummers' faces showed a wide variety of emotions from laughter to early weariness - but they all display steely determination to become world beaters.

A percentage of proceeds are going to MacMillan Cancer Support - as well as raising money for the studio - and the charity's Dereham and Fakenham branch vice chairman Ali Laing said: “It is fantastic what they are doing and we appreciate people getting up and doing things and raising money for MacMillan.”

*Anyone is welcome to go along over the weekend to support the world record attempt.