HAMPSHIRE cricket fans are invited to join a world record bid to help people suffering from cancer.

Residents are asked to create the biggest human exclamation mark ever at Hampshire’s Vitality Blast match against Essex Eagles set to take place at the Ageas Bowl on August 12.

Fans wanting to take part will be asked to pay £10 and will be invited on to the pitch after the match.

They will be given a light-weight poncho, which must be worn under strict rules set by Guinness World Records, and asked to stand in a marked-out exclamation mark.

All the money raised will go towards Cancer Research UK (CRUK).

Now Hampshire Cricket staff, club captain James Vince and all-rounder Chris Wood are throwing their weight behind the record-breaking attempt and are hoping to get more than 3,000 cricket fans on to the outfield to help them achieve it.

The current record was made in Spain in 2016 when 806 people formed a human exclamation mark.

Stuart Robertson, director at the Ageas Bowl, said: “We want to make sure that not only do we break the record but we make it stand for some time. The great thing is that we will have a big crowd attending the Vitality Blast fixture on the day and we hope our supporters will get behind us and help raise vital funds for a good cause.”

The event is being organised by the newly-formed organisation Southampton Beats Cancer (SBC) – a group of business leaders from across Southampton who have united to join the fight against cancer through regular fundraising initiatives.

CRUK is the cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research.

Last year the charity spent more than £6m in Southampton, where more than 150 scientists, doctors and nurses are working to beat cancer sooner.

Work is specifically focussed on tackling oesophageal, bowel, breast and head and neck cancers.

Nick Johnson, local fundraising manager for CRUK, said: “We chose an exclamation mark for our world record attempt as our vision is to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.”

To register for the attempt visit www.ageasbowl.com/cricket/news/world-record-bid.