A SAILOR from the North-East has become a world record holder after completing more parallel bar 'dips' in an hour than anyone else.

No one weighing more than sixteen stone has been able to reach the 1,000 dip mark until sailor Craig Caesar, 46, from the St Peters area of Sunderland, rose to the challenge and exceeded it.

The Royal Navy Chief Petty Officer is now the Guinness World Record Holder for completing 1,011 dips on parallel bars in one hour.

At over 16, he will appear in the next edition of the famous book.

The challenge took place in May in the Marine House gym in Fulwell, Sunderland, where Mr Caeser usually trains.

He has only just had his achievement accepted by Guinness World Records and received his certificate.

Mr Caesar said: "Being in the Royal Navy I have always been fit and I used to compete in the field gun competitions, which is physically demanding.

"I was talking to one of the guys in my gym that had previously held the world record at 883 dips but he said no one over sixteen stone, which is quite heavy to do that kind of exercise, had been able to do 1000 dips so I thought that I would give it a go.

"It's great to finally get my certificate; it makes it seem more real that I am a world record holder. I just hope no one tries to break it."

Mr Caesar trained for four months before the big day building up his upper body strength and stamina.

On the day of the record attempt two 'witnesses of standing' had to time and count the number of dips and the endeavour was videoed to send to adjudicators at Guinness World Records for verification.

On hand to present Craig with his official certificate was Lieutenant Colonel Philip Samson, Commanding Officer of Royal Marine Reserve Tyne, based in Newcastle.

Lieutenant Colonel Philip Sampson said: "Marines like to think of themselves as the strongest element of the service but hats off to Craig, this was a very physically demanding challenge and one that must have taken a lot of training and determination to succeed."