If you had gone down to Old Palace Primary School in London’s East End you may have been in for a big surprise.

East London Advertiser: Old Palace primary school's record Bear gatheringOld Palace primary school's record Bear gathering (Image: Archant)

For every bear that ever there was seemed to have gathered there for certain because it was the day that the kids and their mums and dads came disguised as the fury forest creatures.

Staff, pupils, parents and families arrived at the school playground in St Leonard’s Street in Bromley-by-Bow in costumes last Friday to break the world record for the largest gathering of people dressed as bears.

The school has been busy making masks, paws and claws over the past few weeks to achieve this historical feat.

Parents created many of the masks in workshops after school with the children using lunchtimes and art sessions to apply the finishing touches to the costumes.

“This was a truly community-wide event with many people offering to act as witnesses,” the school’s Katrina Blackburn explained. “The target was 250 taking part, but we got well past that—through a monumental effort. All were vital in achieving this record.”

The youngsters were also joined in the Guinness Book of World Record attempt by boys from nearby Bow Secondary School who volunteered to officiate.

The ‘bear facts’ are that Old Palace Primary is now the new World Record Holder for getting together and dressing up to look like a big bunch of Yogi Bear honey eaters—all helpful if you want to go down in the woods for a teddy-bears’ picnic.