Australia and UK battle for 'burping Ashes'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-35665404

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An Australian and an Englishman are literally shaking the walls as they vie to produce the world's loudest burp.

Australian Neville Sharp unofficially broke Essex-based Paul Hunn's record on Tuesday with a 110.6 decibel belch.

But unwilling to surrender his crown, Mr Hunn returned fire with a 117.9 decibel burp just one day later.

Neither record has been verified by Guinness World Records, which still lists Mr Hunn's previous champion burp of 109.9 as the world's loudest.

For comparison, a chainsaw or leaf blower emits approximately 110 decibels, while an ambulance emits around 120 decibels.

Mr Sharp, from the Northern Territory town of Humpty Doo, told the BBC on Friday that Mr Hunn's new record would be "a hard challenge to beat" and likened it to the Ashes of burping.

He said he discovered his gift for producing ear-bursting burps when he was six years of age, and boasted that he once belched so loud that it shook the walls of Western Australia's Karratha Tavern.

"My sister taught me how to gulp the air down and I figured out you could store a bit more in there with a can of soft drink," Mr Sharp said.

"I've made constant improvement, but find a nice cold beer followed with an icy cold glass of water as a chaser helps."

Mr Sharp said he had considered challenging for the world title for many years, but was recently inspired after "dropping a few" at the local Humpty Doo tavern.

Despite the challenge laid down by his rival, Mr Sharp says that he will attempt to reclaim the record in late-April, early May.