Now that’s a mouthful: Grill chefs at the Alameda County Fair wowed the crowds – and Guinness World Record officials – by unveiling the largest commercially available hamburger, weighing in at an incredible 777lbs (353kg).

The burger, which easily surpassed the previous record of 590lbs cooked by barbecue chef Ted Reader in Toronto, Canada, last May, was unveiled at the weekend.

It was created by the combined genius of Brett Enright from Juicy’s Outlaw Grill in Phoenix and Nick Nicora from local company Ovations Food Services.

The burger took 15 hours to cook, having started at 5am in order to have the hefty meal ready for an 8pm sit-down, and was made with just one huge beef patty.

Mr Enright said he came up with the idea while on a month off from his job in December.

‘I thought, "I bet I could build the world’s largest burger",’ he said.

‘So I looked it up.’

Anyone that fancied a taste of the burger behemoth paid 99c, with all proceeds going to the Alameda County Community Food Bank.

But a beast of a burger isn’t the only claim to fame for the famous fair, which is held annually in Pleasanton, California. (wrapup)

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The name Mister Pip conjures up all sorts of images of a jolly moggy leaping around, happy as Larry – but not this Mister Pip, who, judging by his picture, is definitely the world’s grumpiest cat.

In quite possibly the best cat picture we’ve ever seen, Mister Pip’s bad mood is clear for all to see – and his basket, featuring a bold ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign over his head – sets off his expression perfectly.

The Persian Burmese, who was snapped looking glum as glum can be by his owner Rose Oughten from Kings Lynn in Norfolk, is clearly having a pretty bad day.

Has an army of mice stolen his scratching pole? One of the kids next door thieved his box of cat nip and left a taunting ransom note? Or is a life of eating, sleeping, and padding around aimlessly just getting too much for him?

In actual fact, Mister Pip apparently has an intense dislike of noise, bad weather, dogs and football.

Shame, then, that he lives between a dog kennels and a 50,000-seater football stadium, and in a micro-climatic blackspot (OK, maybe we made that bit up).

Either way, Mister Pip’s by far and away our favourite cat for quite a while. (Metro)

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A dog who had all four of his paws amputated when he was just a puppy is going walkies once again, thanks to a brand new set of bionic legs.

Naki’o, a Red Heeler cattle dog, was abandoned in a frozen puddle and suffered such severe frostbite that he was left with just stumps to move about on.

His future was looking grim until veterinary surgeon Christie Tomlinson, who was looking for a playmate for her golden retriever, saw him at a Colorado rescue centre.

She said: ‘I’ve always had a soft spot for animals with problems. I knew I had the skills and knowledge to be able to take care of him properly.

‘I took him to work with me every day and was able to x-ray his legs regularly to see how they were developing.’

At first Naki’o was small and light enough to hold himself up on his stumps without too much difficulty.

But as he grew and gained weight it became painful for him to walk, especially on hard surfaces.

‘I felt so bad for him as his condition worsened,’ said Christie.

‘He is such a hyper and happy dog, but I was having to take him for walks in a stroller and carry him around.

‘He couldn’t be a normal dog, he couldn’t lead the life he wanted.’

Eventually Naki’o had to crawl along on his tummy at home and at the clinic’s daycare centre.

Then Christie heard about a company called Orthopets in Denver, Colorado.

Founded by husband and wife team Martin and Amy Kaufmann, Orthopets began when Martin saw that his experience in creating human orthotic devices could be adapted for animals.

‘I felt it was barbaric that in the 20th century we were still amputating dogs’ legs,’ said Martin, who carried out the operation free of charge.

‘I thought we should be using the technology used for humans on our pets.

‘An animal is a much better patient than a human. They have drive, determination and they just won’t quit.

‘They don’t feel sorry for themselves.’

Since undergoing the pioneering surgery Naki’o can leap and bound with the best of them.

Christie is amazed at her pet’s motivation and joy for life.

‘He was always a happy dog, but now he’s much more confident,’ she said.

‘It’s great to see him interact with other dogs at the park and play without a care.

‘Naki’o can now not only chase after a ball with other dogs, but he can beat them to the catch!’

Orthopets is working to open clinics worldwide. As well as dogs, they have fitted cats, horses, llamas and a stork with state of the art prosthetics. (Mail Online)

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With her scruffy tufts of wiry hair, protruding tongue and gangly legs, Yoda hardly looks like a champion show dog. Unless, that is, the competition is for the World’s Ugliest Dog title.

The 14-year old Chinese-crested Chihuahau mix was awarded that hotly-contested honour by judges in California.

Yoda’s owner Terry Schumacher fled when she first encountered the two-pound dog abandoned behind an apartment building in America, convinced that the animal was a rat.

But on closer inspection, she realised the diminutive ball of hair and limbs was actually a dog.

Miss Schumacher took her home and named her new pet after the pint-sized crumpled-faced Jedi master from the Star Warsfilms, to whom the dog bears a striking canine resemblance.

And on Friday, she hugged and kissed Yoda after she won the title as a first-time entrant in the 23-year-old show at the Sonoma-Marin Fair.

A variety of other near-hairless, toothy and injured dogs were also put through their steps by their loving owners.

Eye disfigurements were a common characteristic.

Other competitors included last year’s winner, a one-eyed Chihuahua named Princess Abby, a blind 15-year-old pug called Hercules and a crowd favourite, Handsome Hector, whose owner has created a Facebook page and blog for the bald one-eyed mongrel’s fans.
"Handsome Hector, aka Hecki, is, in his own opinion, devastatingly handsome," reads one proud entry. (Telegraph)

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Four hundred skinny dippers stripped off and plunged into the sea at Rhossili Beach in Wales to set a new world record.

They braved the cold and tore off their clothes shortly before 8am, and ran into the water shrieking.

The existing record is believed to stand at 250 naked bathers in one location, and organisers will submit evidence to adjudicators at Guinness World Records in an attempt to claim the title.

Skinny dipper Lizzy White, 25, said: "I have flown in from Australia to take part – what was I thinking of?

"But it was great fun and very exhilarating to strip off and dive into the waves, even if they are a lot colder than what I’m used to."

Organisers hope the sponsored event, to raise money for the Marie Curie Cancer Care charity and the National Trust, will bring in more than £5,000.

Alison Powell said: "It was great fun – I have never seen so many happy smiling faces. We hoped for 300 people but in the end we got a lot more – I’m delighted with the turn out."

Many of the nudists posed to have their photographs taken in the shallows to prove to their sponsors that they took part in the event.

Sue Jones, 39, of Carmarthen, said: "I’m putting my picture on Facebook for all to see. I’ve skinny dipped before in Greece and Spain. This was the first time in Wales – and the last!" (Metro)

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He needed a lot more than a bucket and spade and a few pats on the top.

In fact Ed Jarrett, from Connecticut, needed 1,500 volunteers and 1.6million pounds of sand and water to build the world’s largest sandcastle – breaking his own record in the process.

The 37-foot, ten-inch (approximately 12-metre) sculpture was certified as the world’s tallest by Guinness World Records on Wednesday after it was built.

He first built the world’s tallest sandcastle in 2003 with a 29-foot structure, then broke that in 2007 with a 31-foot, six-inch structure.

The structure was originally at 38-feet and 75-inches high in May but this dropped due to the weather – including snow, rain, thunderstorms and extreme heat – and a blue bird which decided the top of the castle was going to be its new perching ground.

Laura Ward, public relations representative for Jarrett’s Castle, said: ‘When we noticed that little bluebird scraping away at the top of the sandcastle and the local meteorologists began to project daily thunderstorms, we scrambled to compile and send our documentation to Guinness World Records so we could have the height certified before the castle became any shorter.’

Mr Jarrett, who is the director of golf and operations at Farmington Woods in Avon, said of his new record: ‘I cannot possibly express enough gratitude to the more than 1,500 volunteers who collectively contributed over 2,500 work hours to hand pack 1.6 million pounds of sand and water and make this dream a reality.

‘Farmington, Connecticut is now officially the home of the World’s Tallest Sandcastle.’ (Daily Mail)

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For someone covered from head to toe in nearly 7,000 metallic piercings, one extra ring might not be anything particularly special.

But the latest addition to Elaine Davidson’s collection could be her most cherished ring yet, as the world’s most pierced woman today married.

Miss Davidson, who at a recent count had an astonishing 6,925 piercings, tied the knot in Edinburgh, where she lives and runs a shop.

The 42-year-old was accompanied to a registry office in the Scottish capital wearing a white gown as well as pink and flowers around her hair.

And for the special occasion she naturally kept her trademark piercings all in place, along with green, yellow and blue paint markings on her face.

Her husband, Douglas Watson, who has no visible piercings, was dressed for the 35-minute ceremony in a dark blue suit with a blue shirt and tie.

She was also accompanied into Edinburgh Registry Office by two bridesmaids dressed in pink.

The Brazilian-born former nurse first broke the record for most piercings in May 2000, when a Guinness World Records official examined her and found 462 piercings on her body, including 192 on her face.

Miss Davidson has previously said she never removes the rings and studs, which she estimates weigh a total of around three kilos.

She also insists there is no pain involved in the piercing, and that she sleeps every night with every piercing still in place.

However, she revealed in 2009 that she doesn’t like being pieced and suffers for her art.

She said in February 2009, when she had 6,005 piercings including 1,500 that are ‘internal’: ‘I don’t enjoy getting pierced, but to break the record you have to get to a high level.

‘I wanted to break the record.

‘My family don’t even like tattoos or piercings.’

On her own website, Miss Davidson, who also sleeps on a bed of nails and has walked on fire and glass, says she enjoys extreme sports and theatre, but does not drink or smoke. (Mail Online)

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The tears in her eyes and the grimace on her face show it hurts.

Not once, not twice but 3,200 times.

For this was not the finishing touches of a tattoo for Las Vegas performer Staysha Randall but a bid to break the record for the most body piercings in a single sitting.

Staysha, 22, who performs in shows across the strip, was attempting to have 3,600 piercings in her back, arms and legs but decided enough was enough after 3,200 had been put in at Inktoxicated Tattoos in the Nevada city.

Helping in her bid was body piercer Bill ‘Danger’ Robinson and his piercing assistant ‘Jenn O Cide’. The record attempt is still awaiting confirmation by the Guinness Book of Records before it becomes official.

Ms Randall, who perhaps unsurprisingly lists Nine Inch Nails among her favourite bands, also includes escape acts and burlesque into her shows where she performs feats demonstrating her physical strength.

The previous record for the most body piercings in one sitting was 3,100. (Reuters/Daily Mail)

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Meet Kann Trichan, the Thai chef who can dip his hands into a pot of boiling hot cooking oil and escape without harm every time.

Mr Trichan from Chiang Mai in Thailand is a deep fried chicken specialist with a hands on approach that in no way conforms to health and safety regulations.

Nonetheless, 50-year-old Mr Trichan, who regularly forgets his cooking utensils, can dip his hands into a boiling hot wok of oil and bizarrely suffer no blisters or burning whatsoever.

It’s party trick that has even earned him a Guinness World Record for pulling 20 pieces of chicken out of 480 degree oil in a minute.

Mr Trichan discovered his talent seven years ago when he was splashed with searing hot oil after a feasting squirrel knocked a mango into his frying wok.

‘The fat flew everywhere, all over my head, arms, hands. It should have seriously hurt me,’ he said about the initial oil bath.

‘I remember looking in the mirror, expecting to see blisters and red blotches, but there was nothing.

‘Now I can fry rice, chicken, and many things with just my bare hands,

‘When I put my hands into the oil it feels hot but it doesn’t burn or blister my skin.’

Scooping his deep fried delicacies out from the wok has earned Mr Trinchan world-wide acclaim and people travel far and wide to visit his food stall which lies near the Chiang Mai technical college, 470 miles north of Bangkok.

‘The people were loving it. They’ve never seen anything like it before,’ he said.

‘People were coming from all over just to buy my chicken and watch me spoon it out with hands,

‘It’s crazy, but my stall gets busier and busier every day with tourists and customers wanting to see me.’ (Metro)

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The world’s first amphibious ice cream van is touring Britain’s seaside resorts and waterways.

HMS Flake 99, which has a top speed of five knots, chimes Rod Stewart’s We Are Sailing, as it sails along, reports the Daily Mail.

It was created to mark National Ice Cream Week and highlight how vans are being driven off the roads by soaring fuel costs and council red tape.

Driver Dave Mounfield, a stand-up comic from Brighton, is serving up cones to startled sunseekers as the van embarks on its UK tour.

It started off in Blackpool, made its way along the Thames and, after a tour of Britain’s beaches, is due to sail across the Channel and on to the canals of Venice next year.

Mr Mounfield said: "I’m the captain of a floating ice cream van. It’s crazy! I hope our amphibious van marks the start of a great revival of the ice cream trade on UK shores."

Ice cream manufacturers claim the industry is in meltdown on dry land with the number of vans falling from 20,000 to just 5,000 over the past 50 years.

A growing number of councils ban vans from housing estates, parks and outside schools because of concerns about noise pollution and childhood obesity.

Others have created ice cream selling ‘exclusion zones’ in town centres, hiked the cost of a van operator’s licence and limited how long vans can sound their chimes.

Ice cream firms are also being hit hard by the rising cost of the ingredients milk and sugar, and record petrol prices. (Orange News)

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