HUNDREDS of children will attempt to break the world hula hooping record as part of a school’s 400th anniversary celebrations.

The current record for the most number of people dancing with hula-hoops is 637 according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

But staff and pupils at Wolsingham School and Community College in Weardale, County Durham, hope to beat that as part of the school’s anniversary celebrations next week.

The school is inviting children from its nearby primary schools to take part and boost the numbers.

Assistant headteacher Mark Stemp said he expects about 680 people to take part.

He said: “It will be a big occasion and hopefully we will end the day with a world record.

“We all have to dance with the hula hoops for two minutes to get the record.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

The record attempt will be made on Tuesday, July 15, as part of a special sports day.

The school will then host a weekend of 400th anniversary events on Saturday and Sunday, July 19 and 20.

An exhibition about the school’s history will be open from 11am to 5pm on both Saturday and Sunday with a fun fair running from noon to 5pm and Afternoon teas with music and dance from 2pm to 5pm.

Also on the Saturday, old school bus rides to Stanhope will start at 12.30pm, a photo of all past pupils will be taken at 1pm, a basketball match featuring the 2003 national winners will be at 2pm, and a reunion bar will run in the dining hall from 6pm to 10pm.

On Sunday, a celebratory service will be held in the main hall at 11am, the George Mann Cricket Final at 2pm, scenes from the Tempest between 2pm and 4pm and a brass band contest in the sports hall at 6pm.

For more information visit wolsinghamschool.net.