A man in Hamburg, Germany who turned himself into a human torch and ran 394 feet with his body doused in flames yesterday captured the Guinness World Records title for the longest distance full-body burn without oxygen.

A fellow German citizen who caught a record-breaking number of arrows by hand in two minutes, blindfolded, also captured a Guinness World Record yesterday.

That two death-defying, record-breaking stunts occurred is no coincidence, but the results of Guinness World Records Day, marked yesterday by more than 300,000 people around the world who gave it their all for one shot at the record books.

The annual day was started seven years ago by Guinness World Records, makers of the famous book, to encourage worldwide record-breaking in a 24-hour period.

Each year it produces some unusual and jaw-dropping sights.  This year proved no different.

Already included in the record books from yesterday’s event are the largest cream tea party (334 participants), held in Essex, England; the largest gathering of people dressed as leprechauns (262 participants) in Dublin; and the oldest yoga teacher ever, at 91-years-old, in Florida.

A race held in London tested the capabilities of the world’s smallest roadworthy car, just 41 inches high but able to reach speeds of nearly 30mph.

Other record-breaking attempts spanned the globe, and the gambit.

Exercisers in Netherlands gathered for the world’s largest Zumba workout, while 221 elementary school students in Florida set the record for the largest hula hoop workout.

Across the world, 368 children dressed as “dancing queens” assembled in Melbourne, Australia to set a new record for largest gathering of ABBA impersonators.

More record attempts on Thursday included the most people whistling in Switzerland, the largest 3D painting in London, the largest rice cracker in Japan and the largest speed-dating event in China.

All records set on Guinness World Records Day 2011 will be short-listed for inclusion in the Guinness Book of World Records’ next edition.