HUNDREDS of fitness fanatics united to hold the longest Zumba marathon the world has ever seen.

Nearly 400 dancers swapped their Sunday lie-in for an 8am start at Epping Sports Centre, in Hemnall Street, in a bid to smash the current record of 13 hours.

Dance instructors and volunteers - who had been in training for months - kept the relay going until 11pm, clocking up a total of 15 hours.

At least 20 dancers were required to take to the floor for each one-hour leg, with 95 dancers - including district council chairman Brian Rolfe - joining in the most popular lunchtime slot.

The event, organised by the Bodyshakers World Record Breakers and Voluntary Action Epping Forest, and sponsored by Everyone Active Epping, also raised £2,800 for Cancer Research.

Darren Couchman, the charity's area volunteer manager for Essex, said: "They have all given up their free time to organise this unique event and it was great to see so many people not just taking part but clearly having a great time.

"It was a fantastic atmosphere."

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