An elite athlete from Dereham who attended Northgate High School set a Guinness World Record at the Vitality Westminster Road Mile staged in London last weekend.

Dereham Times: Dani Nimmock and Mark Burgess cross the line hand in hand in London to set a new world record. Picture: Westminster Road Mile.Dani Nimmock and Mark Burgess cross the line hand in hand in London to set a new world record. Picture: Westminster Road Mile. (Image: Archant)

Dani Nimmock and husband Mark Burgess crossed the line together to set an impressive — indeed romantic — new record for the fastest mile run while holding hands.

The Essex couple sprinted across the line together in 5:24, almost a full minute inside the old mark set at the same event last year, before receiving their certificate from GWR adjudicator Richard Stenning.

'We're really happy to have broken 5:30 — we thought it could be possible, but you never know what will happen on the day,' said Dani, a London Marathon Events Ltd staff member and winner of the 2018 Manchester Marathon, who runs for City of Norwich AC.

'It feels amazing to have set a Guinness World Record together. I can't wait to put the certificate on our wall in the hallway as it will certainly be a conversation starter for visitors!'

The pair, who have been married for three years, practiced running holding hands just once in training by doing one lap of their local 400m track.

'It's a great experience running in St James's Park,' added Burgess. 'The crowds around the route are amazing, the park is beautiful and to finish in front of Buckingham Palace was incredible.'