Theatre group's football scarf chain breaks record

Whirled around, held up or worn simply around the neck, you can't miss the range of football scarves displayed by fans at the World Cup.

The terrace neckwear has also been used a little closer to home in a record-breaking effort.

Sheffield arts group Stand and Be Counted (SBC) believe their 186m (610ft) snake of unique scarves eclipsed the existing official Guinness World Record, which sits at 100m.

Nahzi Nabipour, from the group, sat at a sewing machine in the city's Peace Gardens joining scarves on Wednesday. She said: "It's about everyone coming together, every stitch and every club from around the world. That is the beauty of football, and the beauty of what this metaphor is."

SBC describes itself as the UK's first "theatre company of sanctuary", working specifically with people from other countries who now call Sheffield home

Artist and facilitator Nabipour said the Around the World event was "beautifully timed", on the day England played their first group match.

The chain of scarves was paraded through the city just a few hours before kick-off.

She added: "I've been overwhelmed at everyone's generosity because I was worried that people wouldn't want to part with their football scarves because they're so precious.

"But everyone's been so kind and they've donated, and we have smashed this record."

It was not adjudicated by Guinness World Records, but SBC founder John Tomlinson said the effort was "not about the glory" of getting an official record.

"We want to bring people together through football and creativity and display that unity for everyone to see," he said.

SBC was set up in 2010, using arts and theatre as a "tool for action" and platforming the voices of those seeking sanctuary.

Adenike Balogun, 32, became a member of SBC two years ago after she moved from Nigeria to Sheffield in 2022.

"They are a family for me, I look forward to seeing them every time when we have meetings," she said.

"It's been really helpful especially for the immigrants and many of us without family here.

"We are able to meet with other people from different countries and we're able to appreciate the uniqueness of each other."

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