Rollercoaster record holder eyes next challenge

A selfie of Dean Stokes on top of a rollercoaster laughingImage source, Dean Stokes
Image caption,

Dean Stokes said he was picking Germany because it is home to some "amazing theme parks"

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A thrill-seeker who set a world record after riding 55 rollercoasters in a week is eyeing up his next challenge of taking on more than 100 rollercoasters in Germany.

Dean Stokes, from Brighton in East Sussex, claimed a Guinness World Record during an attempt to ride all 120 in the UK.

Throughout his 2,300 mile expedition, which lasted 16 days, Mr Stokes rode 108, only falling short of his original target due to disruption caused by Storm Floris.

The 36-year-old said Germany was his next mission because it was home to some "amazing theme parks" and was a "really nice country to drive through".

'Have more fun'

About 112 of the rides in Germany are classed as "thrill" or "extreme" according to an online rollercoaster database, he said.

On the inspiration for his UK trek, which started at Brighton's Palace Pier and ended at Thorpe Park in Surrey, Mr Stokes said he felt it was important to take time out of the daily grind "and have more fun."

He documented the journey on social media, amassing more than 100,000 views of his first video and more than one million views on TikTok across the whole challenge.

Mr Stokes, who took two weeks off work to complete the quest, added: "I think that life can feel very serious sometimes, especially with everything that's happening in the world right now.

"So a little bit of joy and happiness in your life is never a bad thing."

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