Schoolchildren in Hounslow have restored some pride to English rugby by snatching the world record for the largest scrum from Australia.

A phenomenal 1,198 youngsters locked shoulders at Cranford Community College earlier this year to muscle their way into the record books.

The Guinness Book of Records this week confirmed the accolade, which was set during a tag rugby festival in October and involved pupils from 44 primary schools and two special schools across the borough, plus some 600 students from the host secondary school.

After England's miserable Rugby World Cup mauling at the hands of the Wallabies, it was perhaps fitting that the previous mark they overtook - by 38 people - had been set by Australia.

Hounslow mayor Nisar Malik, who put the ball into the scrum, said: "This is great news for our borough and well done to all involved. I could see that all who took part put in every effort and this has been rewarded. It's official, we are a record-breaking borough!"

The festival and the record-breaking scrum were funded by Hounslow Council and organised in conjunction with Sport Impact.