Panama City sets new record for world's largest bikini parade

London, Mar 8 (ANI): A group of 450 bikini-clad women broke the Guinness World Record for the world's Largest Bikini Parade on Tuesday in Panama City Beach, Florida, beating Australia's record.

Locals and spring breakers gathered on the beach, some from as far as Maine and Alaska to take part in the world record before noon, when they walked together for about one mile - beating the record held by Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast of Australia, where 357 women took part in a bikini march last October.

"This is not something you see every day, the organization to put this together was incredible," the Daily Mail quoted Philip Robertson, Guinness World Records adjudicator as telling news channel WJHG.

One participant told the channel she felt she had to do it for her country.

"This is the most exciting day of my life, tears were coming out of my eyes, I'm so proud of the United States," Karly Quinn from Maine said.

City leaders were at first reluctant to hold the parade, even though it would attract more tourists to the area. But they feared it would turn into some kind of massive Spring Break party on the beach.

"We'll have a lot of college kids and there's a lot of hormones flowing out there. It's very volatile and it doesn't take a whole lot for things to go sour," Panama City Beach city council member Ken Nelson told Fox News.

The parade passed off peacefully and is something for the City and the country to be proud of.

When the last participant in a two-piece crossed the finish line, Robertson confirmed they had indeed beaten Australia's record.

"With an existing record of 357 set in Surface Paradise, Australia in October 2011, they had a fair target to beat.

"I'm happy to say they did, 450 people took part and set the new Guinness World Record for Panama City Beach, USA," he said. (ANI)