People in Hangzhou, eastern China's Zhejiang Province, rang in 2008 by creating a world record for the longest karaoke singing relay.

Participants of a karaoke singing relay cheer when their challenge beat the previous world record of the longest singing marathon, in Hangzhou, on Tuesday, January 1, 2008. (photo: photobase.cn)

Shortly after ringing in the New Year on Tuesday, officers from the Guinness headquarters announced the birth of 2008's first world record - a non-stop singing marathon that lasted 214 hours, 20 minutes and eight seconds.

That beat the previous record of 214 hours set in Japan.

Hangzhou locals and tourists began the challenge nine days earlier on December 23. During the period, nearly 2,000 people performed 3,151 songs on stage.

(CRI January 2, 2008)