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Ex-pupil's world record tyre flip bid for school

A fitness instructor is aiming to spend 24 hours flipping a 100kg (220lbs) tyre in a record-breaking bid inspired by gratitude to his former school in Epsom.

James Farmer, who left Glyn School in 2001, said he had spent more than 20 years working in health and fitness, including training elite athletes and Olympians.

However, he credits much of that success to the support he received at Glyn and hopes his challenge will raise £20,000 towards a new sports pavilion.

"Twenty-four hours of flipping a tyre is a hard way to say thank you," he said.

"But if it puts a pavilion on those playing fields, it will have been worth every hour.

"I owe Glyn a debt of gratitude for providing the foundation upon which I built my entire career."

Jo Garrod, headteacher at Glyn School, said: "What James is taking on is extraordinary, and the pavilion he is raising money for will be used by our pupils every week for decades.

"We will be out there cheering him on through the night."

The school said the sports pavilion would provide improved facilities for PE, fixtures, after-school sport and community use.

The current record for tyre flipping in 24 hours stands at 11.21km (6.96 miles), according to Guinness World Records.

It was achieved by Daniel Garner in June 2020 in Nottingham.

Farmer is aiming to pass 15km (9.32 miles) and he is due to start the challenge at midday on 25 October and finish at midday the following day.

He will flip the tyre around a marked course on the school site through the night and in front of independent witnesses.

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