Umar Alvi and his friends had their tongues firmly in cheek when they began measuring who had the biggest ears, nose, feet and other body parts at school.

But now just a few weeks later the 14-year-old ADT College student from Tooting can proudly point to his name in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the longest tongue in the world.

Umar said: "I noticed a few years ago I could touch my nose with my tongue and then after my friends saw, they said I should call the Guinness Book of Records, so I did and it all started there."

Umar had it measured at a whopping 6.75cm from his lips to the tip of his tongue, a confirmed world record.

He added: "Everyone has been asking me to stick it out and show it, especially the girls."

November 23, 2001 11:00