Belgium: Wheelchair record fails

 BELGIUM: Dismal weather conditions have prevented a bid by 75 wheelchair-users to set a world record by tugging a Hercules C-130 plane more than 100 metres at Melsbroek military base in Belgium.

After two attempts under heavy skies on Saturday, the participants gave up the challenge, having pulled the military plane over 40 metres along the airstrip.

According to Guinness World Records' rules, they had to drag the Hercules at least 100 metres to claim the world record.

The plane, which was carrying a crane, a crew and a full tank of fuel, weighed 67 tonnes.

The world-record attempt was organised by "Blijf Actief"
("Stay Active"), a Belgian association for disabled people, to show that wheelchair-users are capable of extraordinary feats, if they combine their strength.

Although the participants were disappointed not to have broken the record, they were glad to have taken part.

Anita Verschueren, a resident of Flanders, said the point was that "we are together, we have seen everybody again, and I hope everybody sees that we can do a lot."

Next time, Verschueren said, they would be sure to break the record.