Suffolk libraries’ summer reading challenge is already a record breaker – even before a book is borrowed.

While library staff are hoping to better last year’s best yet total of 8,000 children taking part, Dean Gould, master of the unusual feat, set two new records to launch this year’s event, which starts today.

The challenge has the theme of Record Breakers and Mr Gould joined youngsters from Langer Primary Academy at Felixstowe Library to demonstrate his skills.

He set a coin snatching record of 43 two-pence pieces, loading them on his elbow and catching them palm down, and then flipped piles of 25 beer mats from a 300-high jenga-style tower.

Mr Gould, founder and president of the Record Holders Republic (RHR), set the records as part of the World Record Organisation Cup being staged this month between RHR members in the UK, India, and Indonesia, and the Georgian Records Federation in Russia.

He said: “It was good fun and I think the children enjoyed it. They had a go at the records themselves – there were two-pence pieces flying everywhere!”

Mr Gould, who lives in Felixstowe and is a former pupil of Langer Primary, holds nearly 40 world records, including beermat flipping, brick flipping, stamp licking, coin snatching and pancake tossing.

The Summer Reading Challenge is a major literacy campaign organised by the Reading Agency to encourage four to 11 year olds to read six library books throughout the summer holidays to boost reading skills.

There will be a series of collectable incentives and rewards for children along the way with related activities running across the county’s libraries throughout the summer.

Children can sign up to take part from today at their local library – and it is free to join in.