A NORTH-East man is hoping to set a new record at the first-ever Window Cleaning World Cup.

Darren Ansbro, from Yarm, wants to wipe the floor with his opponents as he takes window cleaners from across the globe in the first International Window Cleaning World Cup at the UK's Cleaning Show exhibition in March.

The world cup event, which is being hosted at the Excel exhibition in London on March 20, will see window cleaners officially represent their countries as well as themselves and their respective companies.

As well as getting the chance to be declared the world’s fastest ‘shiner’ and win £1,000, Mr Ansbro will also take part in a Guinness World Record challenge.

He is hoping to smash the official, ten-year-old world record for window-cleaning held by Britain’s Terry ‘Turbo’ Burrows.

Mr Burrows cleaned three 1.143m high windows in just 9.14 seconds to set his most recent Guinness World Record in Blackpool in 2009.

He had previously set the world record in 2005 and in 1995 he achieved his first-ever world record on BBC1's popular show Record Breakers.

Mr Ansbro, director of DA Components Ltd in Yarm said: “Terry is a legend in the world of window cleaning, having held the record for over 20 years.

“However, I’ve got technique and skill.

"I’m looking forward to challenging again for Terry’s record and seeing how quick I really am.

"It would be amazing to be the World record holder.

"I’d be proud to bring the title back to the North East but there’s also a chance to be crowned the winner of the first ever Window Cleaning World Cup as well.”

Both the Guinness World Record Challenges, and the Window Cleaning World Cup competition, will be adjudicated by the Federation of Window Cleaners (FWC), the UK’s official window cleaning trade body.

Participants in the World Cup and World Record challenge will be tasked with cleaning three consecutive windows set in a frame with a 300 mm squeegee with nine litres of water in the fastest time.

They must also remember to wipe the window sill.

And any smears will incur time penalties which are then added to their final time.