On the 29th April 2011 I was asked to attempt to break the World Record for the most escapes in one hour from regulation police handcuffs. I accepted that challenge, but only if I could also try and break the record for the most handcuff escapes in a minute. Thinking I was mad to want to try two World record in one evening the organising committee for Llandudno Victorian Extravaganza agreed.

As the cuffs were being opened in view of the public my thoughts turned to my choice of lock pick. Would it work on the cuffs that had been chosen for me. I had tried to find out what cuffs were going to be used but could get no information from anyone involved.

The envelope that housed the cuffs was torn open and two sealed boxes removed. They were blue with white lettering that read Smith & Wesson. So they'd gone with American cuffs. But which model?

As the cuffs were withdrawn and the keys placed out of my reach and in full view of the public I spotted they were Smith & Wesson model 100s. The pick I'd selected would probably open them, but would I be able to pick them open quickly enough?

I attempted the most escapes in a single minute first. This was successful beating the previous record of 6 by just 3. A new World record of 9. I was excited until someone pointed out that if I continued to only hit 9s during the hour-long test I would only reach 540 escapes. Not enough to break the current record of 627 that was set in February last year (12th Feb 2010) by Czech escape artist Zdenek Bradac.

Nervous and with self doubt creeping in I decided to make my stand before it all became too much.

Word had spread throughout the small town and The Albert had really filled up.

I blocked out the noise from the crowd and focused. 628 was my target. That's 1256 locks. Or 10.5 escapes per minute. I had to try and squeeze another 1.5 escapes in every minute to be able to break the record I'd travelled over 200 miles across the country to beat.

After the first 5 minutes had passed sweat had already started to pour down my face and in to my eyes, my hands were slippy and gripping the pick was already becoming near impossible. Was I going to do it? I honestly didn't think I could. But I didn't want to let people down. I didn't want to let myself down.

10 minutes, 15, 20, the time was ticking by. I needed to be over 300 escapes by half way to be in with a shot of claiming the title as mine.

Over 300! That meant I had to match Stuart Burrell's initial World record that he set in 2002 in just half an hour.

I pulled my focus back to my handcuffs. Back to my challenge. No need to be thinking about what someone else had done. I was doing this now. I had to concentrate harder.

I missed to half way call.

40 minutes... 45 minutes...

If I got 600 with 10 minutes to go I could do it. But what was I on now? I'd lost track.

Then all of a sudden I heard the pub erupt with applause; screaming, shouting and wolf whistles. Then over the speakers: "628. We have a new World record of 628 and still have 9 minutes to go".

I'd done it.

I'd broken the World record and I had 9 more minutes left. Time to smash it.

And smash it I did.

The final 10 seconds was counted down and I had just released cuff number 676... I wanted one more. To beat it by a round 50 escapes would be the icing on the cake.

5... 4... 3...

I had just one cuff left to pick.

2...

I swung my hand towards the designated cuff collector.

1...

He fumbled. But somehow managed to keep hold of it.

STOP!

I'd done it. I'd set a new World handcuff record of 677 escapes in an hour.

I'd brought the record back home to the UK. I'd beaten not just one, but two World records.

My wrists were bruised and bloody, my legs were like jelly but I felt no pain. The adrenaline was pumping around my body. Men were shaking my hand and women hugging me.

There may have just been a Royal Wedding earlier that day. But the 29th April 2011 will always be the day that I became the best in the World at something. The day I became a Record Breaker!