Subject: Gathering of the Smurfs

Students at Swansea University will take a rare break from their intense studying next month to attempt a world record gathering of Smurfs.

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The Daily Telegraph reports that more than 3,000 people will take part in the attempt by painting themselves blue and wearing white hats at the city's Oceana nightclub, on June 8.

The current record for the number of Smurfs in one place - 1,253 - was set last July in Castleblayney, Northern Ireland.

Students' union representative Hannah Lamden is confident that Swansea can surpass that total. "We're going to make sure that no student is left un-blue", she said.

However, the attempt in Swansea may face a bit of competition. Students in Bath, Southampton, Chester and Portsmouth have already tried to pip the record.

Under the strict rules for Smurf gatherings, each participant must be totally blue, with no "natural" skin visible at all.

The students are receiving assistance from Jokers Masquerade, a fancy dress company in Newbury, which is lending them 3,000 Smurf and Smurfette costumes.

Belgian cartoonist Peyo created the Smurfs - originally known as "Schtroumpfs" - for a local magazine in the late 1950s.

However, they became a global phenomenon in the 1980s, when US animation company Hanna-Barbera produced a series based on their adventures.