Will Cutbill from Solihull managed to balance five of the chocolate sweets on top of each other, breaking the previous record of four that was jointly held by Silvio Sabba (Italy) and Brendan Kelbie (Australia).

Will said he got the idea while munching through a bag of M&M’s during the UK’s third lockdown. 

He added: “One day in lockdown I was mixing up my confectionary choice, usually I’m a chocolate bar type of guy but this time the bag of M&M’s® called me and boy am I glad they did!”

He suddenly wondered how many he could stack on top of each other and started having a go. 

“At first it wasn’t very many until one day I thought right let’s crack this, so I sat down very determined to complete it,” he added.

But it wasn’t just a personal achievement he was after – Will had his sight set on something bigger. 

He said: “I’ve had a lifelong ambition to break a Guinness World Records title, I’ve always wanted one. I’ve bought the books every year and have always dreamed of one day reading my name in it.”

When Will found out his record had been confirmed, he said it felt “absolutely amazing”. Despite breaking a record that takes extreme patience and dexterity, Will confessed that he doesn’t actually have much of a talent for balancing. 

He said: “My balance is awful I can barely stand on one leg! But I have a talent for chocolate - of any variety stacked, balanced or just simply eaten!

“This record took me an awful long time (thank goodness we were in a lockdown). It takes time but if you stick at it you will find a way to do it.”