FROM time time to time, diligent assaults are made on the record number of persons who can squeeze into, and onto, a car. Guinness World Records says the most people crammed in a large car is 41, achieved by Toyota Centre Krasnoyarsk Zapad (Russia) in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, on May 16, 2015. The car chosen for this attempt was a Toyota Rav4.

A quick online search discloses that many other people have stuffed themselves into all sorts of vehicles, including a tiny Smart car.

Back in 1961, it turns out, Glasgow students did pretty well in just this field.

The opening round of the car-covering contest, organised by the students’ Charities Appeal Committee, was watched by a crowd of around 100.

The aim was to see which team could get most pairs of student hands touching the car without making contact with the ground or being supported by any kind of aid.

Read more: Herald Diary

The appeals committee team itself got off to a flying start when no fewer than 41 enthusiasts hung from every available foothold on the 1938 Rover car. It was impressive. The audience applauded.

But the rosy glow of triumph did not last long. To cheers of encouragement, the young women from Queen Margaret Union piled body after body onto, and into, the car, and ended up with 48.

Then again, they did have form: the previous year, the team had won the contest, with a body-count of 47.