Father and daughter shatter Maltesers more than six-day mouth-holding record for sweet shop publicity.

By Our Angling Correspondent: Courtney Pike

BURY ST EDMUNDS—A father-and-daughter duo from Suffolk have quietly redrawn the boundaries of human achievement after holding a single chocolate Malteser in their mouths—without sucking, biting, or swallowing—for more than six days.

John Smudge, 47, and his daughter Claire, 13, of Bury St Edmunds, claim they have set a new unofficial world record for the discipline, which until recently had attracted little serious attention from the sporting world. At the time of writing, the pair have each balanced a solitary Malteser on their extended tongues for 6 days, 9 hours and 56 minutes, comfortably surpassing the previous record of 3 minutes and 42 seconds, set in 1983 by Swedish enthusiast Martin Lindstrum.

Double dribble

The attempt is taking place behind the counter of the family business, Tubby’s Sweet Shop, where the Smudges have remained largely stationary while customers purchase confectionery under the watchful gaze of two increasingly determined tongues.

Speaking carefully so as not to disturb the chocolate sphere, Mr Smudge confirmed the motivation behind the feat.

“Blatant advertising for our sweet shop,” he explained matter-of-factly. “People come in for cola bottles, and suddenly there we are, two of us standing perfectly still with Maltesers on our tongues. Dribbling. It creates curiosity.”

Claire, however, insisted her reasons were more personal.

“I am addicted to sugar,” she said cheerfully, before returning to a disciplined silence required by the rules of the challenge.