On Friday Sept 26th 2003, 7 primary schools in Calderdale provided 186 pupils from year 5 in 31 Longsword teams to dance out in Halifax town centre as part of the Halifax Traditions Festival. Longsword workshops had been taught at the schools by Sue and Pete Coe, supported by a range of Ryburn Longsword Junior members in two of the schools and by Ruth Eccles, one of the Ryburn Longsword musicians at Ripponden J & I schools.

At the culmination of the event all 31 teams gathered in Southgate shopping precinct to attempt to be included in the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest number of simultaneous Longsword dancers.

We still have to submit all our evidence but we are convinced that we have achieved the record and given the children an experience they will never forget. Musicians from Ryburn 3 Step played for each of the teams.