Residents in Wales joined forces to help break a Guinness World Record with nearly 18,000 heartfelt messages on the world's longest chain of paper hearts.

With over 720 charity shops and thousands of supporters, the British Heart Foundation asked people to write messages of love and support for their loved ones, people battling heart disease or in memory of those they’ve lost.

The charity created a chain of 17,939 of these hearts, beating the previous Guinness World Records title holder for longest chain of paper hearts of 11,288 by Moët Hennessy UK in London. The new record-holding chain measured almost one and a half miles long, the equivalent to 25 football pitches.

The Guinness World Records title attempt was supported by stars from the world of sport and entertainment, including Linda Robson, Ulrika Jonsson, Esther Rantzen and the England Women’s Hockey Team, who all wrote personal messages to be included in the chain.

Simon Gillespie, CEO of the British Heart Foundation, said: “Seven million people in the UK suffer from heart and circulatory disease which accounts for one in four of all deaths. The British Heart Foundation is committed to funding over half a billion pounds of new research before 2020 to help bring an end to this heartbreak.

“Bringing together so many tender yet powerful messages of love, support and hope through this Guinness World Records title attempt shows that we’re standing united against heart and circulatory disease.”