Blyth man to play friend at pool for five days straight in charity Guinness World Records attempt

Marc Murray, from Blyth, and Colin Pilcher, from Consett, will start playing on Tuesday, July 25 and hope to keep going for 111 hours, ending on Saturday, July 29.

They are aiming to raise £10,000 from the challenge, which will support the National Deaf Children's Society and suicide prevention foundation If U Care Share.

Marc said: “We are both bang into pool. We have played in pool leagues, we have played for the county. We are both pool enthusiasts, although we might not be after 111 hours.

“We have known each other for ages now and initially met through pool. We agreed to do the first challenge together and have been best mates since then.”

This is their third record attempt, having previously broken the record in 2011 and 2013.

The pair will have to play continuously for the duration of the challenge, only accumulating five minutes of comfort break time for every hour played. This allows them time to eat, but not to sleep.

Marc said: “We were going through some old footage of the last one when we did 88 hours, and the standard of pool at the end was surprisingly good, considering we had been awake for four days.

“Colin could not tell the difference between the red and yellow balls, he was having to have somebody point out which ball he needed to play for, but the standard in the actual potting of balls was still quite high.”

He added: “We are both 10 years older. We both have young families now. So we thought it will be the last chance we get to try and retake the record.

They settled on the 111 hours target as it will take them above the current record of 105 hours without having to play through a fifth night.

“Obviously you have got people coming in during the day to the snooker club and you get motivation from people coming in, but it is quieter at night times, so the night is the hardest to get through,” according to Marc.

Members of the public are welcome at Hooch’s in Consett to spectate and events, including an exhibition by professional player Wade Morley on Tuesday night, will be taking place throughout.

The games must be recorded and continually watched by two people, with new observers required every four hours.

Marc said: “It is a team effort. Obviously we are doing the challenge but we could not do it if we did not have the support of people who want us to get through it, especially if we want to get the record ratified.”

Colin, who works in communications for Durham Constabulary, chose to support If U Care Share with half the funds, while Marc, whose two children are deaf, is supporting the National Deaf Children's Society.

“They have provided us with a lot of support over the last eight years. I want to give back to them, as well as raising awareness around deafness.”

Marc is the founder of Hearoes, a company that makes and ships internationally stickers and accessories for hearing equipment.

You can donate to support the challenge at gofund.me/1e519bc5