A star-struck couple joined at the hand have smashed a world record.

Dani Nimmock and husband Mark Burgess, from Buckhurst Hill, ran a mile in five minutes and 24 seconds at the Vitality Westminster Mile.

As the elite athlete and her former junior national cross country champion sprinted across the line, almost a minute had been taken off the former world record set at the same event last year.

After caching their breath they received their certificate from Guinness World Record adjudicator Richard Stenning.

Mrs Nimmock, a London Marathon Events Ltd staff member, winner of the 2018 Manchester Marathon and runner for the City of Norwich AC as well as Woodford Green and Essex Ladies AC, said: “We’re really happy to have broken 5:30 – we thought it could be possible, but you never know what will happen on the day.

“It feels amazing to have set a Guinness World Record together.

" I can’t wait to put the certificate on our wall in the hallway as it will certainly be a conversation starter for visitors."

The pair, who have been married for three years, practised running holding hands just once in training by doing one lap of their local 400m track at Ashton Playing Fields.

Mr Burgess, who owns Shear Excellence Garden Service, added: “It’s a great experience running in St James’s Park.

"The crowds around the route are amazing, the park is beautiful and to finish in front of Buckingham Palace was incredible.”