A St Neots man has completed a pub crawl within 24 hours in order to set a new Guinness world record.

Matt Ellis, owner of the Smiling Grape, a wine merchants in St Neots, has visited a total of 51 bars to set the record.

Matt started at midday at the Regal Wetherspoons on Sunday October 10 and finished at The Weeping Ash in St Neots at roughly 9pm in the evening.

The Hunts Post: Matt Ellis at the last pub of his crawl, the Weeping Ash in St Neots.Matt Ellis at the last pub of his crawl, the Weeping Ash in St Neots. (Image: Matt Ellis)

Matt said: “I had to remain a responsible drinker so I drank a variety of non-alcoholic drinks as it’s quite important for the rules of the challenge.

“So I drank apple juice, orange juice and a lot of soda water!

“I had to make several toilet trips with all of the fluids I was consuming!"

Matt visited 46 pubs in Cambridge including the Pint Shop, Cambridge Blue and then 5 pubs in St Neots.

The Hunts Post: Matt Ellis and St Neots Town Mayor Stephen Ferguson at the Weeping AshMatt Ellis and St Neots Town Mayor Stephen Ferguson at the Weeping Ash (Image: Matt Ellis)

Matt said: “My favourite pub to visit was the Pig and Falcon in St Neots and I also went to the Bridge House and the Corner House in St Neots.

“When I do enjoy a alcoholic drink I would say a good Sauvignon Blanc is always good!"

Within the rules, Matt had to consume 125 ml in each pub and have two independent witnesses to keep track of his progress.

They also had to get the manager of each pub to sign to say that he had visited.

The Hunts Post: Matt Ellis had two independent witnesses to keep track of his progress.Matt Ellis had two independent witnesses to keep track of his progress. (Image: Matt Ellis)

Matt spoke about his reason for taking up the challenge, he said: “We tried to organise a team effort just before Covid struck and we never got round to doing anything.

“We tried to get a group together to do 250 pubs that some guys had done in New York as a world record about 10 years ago, but I am pleased with my completed challenge now.

“I am also a great fan of pubs and helped to raise their profile, after such a difficult 18 months or so.

“A lot of closures happened and some of the pubs haven’t been able to reopen, I just really wanted to help people and say get down your local pub and support it.

“You don’t have to drink alcohol and it is a really important place within communities.”