A QUICKSILVER barman put his skills to the test and beat a Guinness World Record.

Francois Monin, 30, had to open 2,000 bottles of beer in less than 28 minutes to claim the record-breaking crown.

The bar manager of Below Lucky Voice in Brighton succeeded in the feat at Azure, between the Palace Pier and Brighton Wheel, on Sunday beating the record by three and a half minutes.

Mr Monin told The Argus shortly after the record attempt: “I am truly in pain in my arms and fingers.

“I was getting very tired and I didn’t want to drop a bottle.

“I thought, ‘I am going to do it,’ and I never thought about giving up.”

The challenge left him with bleeding fingers and sore arms afterwards.

There was a delay before the event as organisers got to grips with laying out the 2,000 bottles donated by Asahi.

Mr Monin used the time to tuck himself away in a corner on his own to psyche himself up for the challenge.

He also put the hours in beforehand, exercising every day to make sure his hands had the stamina for the task.

He said: “So many people were cheering and shouting for me. I have had so much support from everyone to do it.

“Now we have to drink the beer.”

Mr Monin has been working in bars for the past 12 years and has developed a knack for opening bottles in a flash.

He beat the record in 24 minutes and 37 seconds, according to witnesses at the event including Brighton and Hove’s deputy mayor Denise Cobb.

The current world record is 2,000 bottles opened in 28 minutes and 11 seconds by Krunoslav Budiselic in Zagreb, Croatia, on 12 October 2009. Sunday’s feat will now be submitted to Guinness World Records by independent observers to verify the attempt, which was filmed on two cameras, with confirmation expected in the coming weeks.