Pirates miss world-record attempt after staying behind in pub

Aug. 29 (UPI) -- A town in England failed its attempt at setting a world record for people dressed as pirates after some participants stayed behind in a pub.

About 10,574 pirates showed up for the final count at the Penzance Pirates on the Prom festival as the group fell about 4,000 people short of their goal.

"We hope you had a great day yesterday at the Pirate event, we didn't get the record but we had lots of fun," the festival said. "We'll just have to do it all again."

The gathering was Penzance's third attempt to reclaim the record from the city of Hastings, which set the pace with 14,231.

Organizer Andy Hazlehurst told attendees they missed the record by a "few" after some participants were spotted in a pub as heads were being counted, Cornwall Live reported.

"Sorry to say we're back again next time we fell short by a few. We won't say how many [were in the pub]. We won't shame those who were down in the Dolphin and that," he said. "We still haven't taught the people who go to the pub to get here on time."

Penzance Mayor Dick Cliffe told the Telegraph he was baffled after seeing people dressed in pirate costumes still inside the pubs when the counting began.

"I remember looking into the pub and seeing people in pirate outfits around the time the count was being done. I thought - what are they doing there?" he said. "Whether it is missed communication over the importance of being in the compounds for just ten minutes I don't know."

Cliffe expressed his disappointment after the town once again failed to reclaim its title from their southeastern rivals.

"It is a disappointment not to break the record and miss out by such a small amount," he said. "The pirates of Penzance is an expression everyone knows - not the pirates of Hastings. They are just impostors."