WHALLEY vicar Chris Sterry preached his way into The Guinness Book of Records - and made a massive Old Testament profit for his church.

The Rev Sterry, of Whalley Parish Church, spoke from the pulpit for 28 hours and 45 minutes. "Eventually, I just ran out of things to say," he admitted.

He beat the previous record of 27 hours 30 minutes for an unscripted speech, and in the process raised about £2,000 for church funds.

The sermon of biblical proportions exhausted talkative Chris, but after a few hours' sleep he was out and about among his parishioners later on Saturday.

"Someone asked me if I would make it an annual event. The reply was unrepeatable," he said.

And record-breaking Chris got an unexpected bonus during his marathon sermon - a full house at midnight!

Whalley's nightclub and curry houses had to play second fiddle to his mammoth effort and immediately after last orders scores of drinkers headed straight to the church.

Deputy Whalley mayor Coun Joyce Holgate, said: "I went on Friday night for about four hours. It was full of people coming out of the pubs. I believe at midnight it was full!"

"Chris is a marvellous person and he's good for the whole community."

Joyce was one of the invigilators who made sure Chris stuck to the rules laid down by The Guinness Book of Records.

The entire sermon was recorded on video and the tapes will be scrutinised by Guinness officials. She was assisted by Norman Atty, landlord of the Dog Inn.

He said: "He had to do eight-hour shifts without hesitation or repetition and what he said had to make sense, it couldn't be gibberish.

"Every eight hours he got a half hour break. We fed him and made him cups of coffee."

As well as sponsoring their vicar, parishioners had the opportunity to place a small wager on how long he would last.

Irish bookmakers Paddy Power offered punters even money that he would break the existing record of 27 hours 30 minutes after reading about Chris in the press.