OXFORD’S Ashmolean Museum broke the record for the world’s longest piece of embroidery, by making it even longer.

Visitors to the Beaumont Street museum on Saturday added their own flourishes to the 600-metre long international artwork.

They were given a helping hand by experts from the Embroiderers’ Guild and needle and thread artist Mr X Stitch. It was a part of the Ashmolean’s Big Stitch, celebrating all things embroidered.

The world record embroidery, devised by the Embroiderers’ Guild in 2003, has been touring the world with more than 7,000 people adding to it so far.

Visitor services manager Kate Terkanian said: “It was really popular, we had people here working on it all day.”

The museum is currently hosting an exhibition entitled Threads of Silk and Gold: Ornamental Textiles From Meiji Japan.

Visitors at the weekend were also treated to traditional embroidery demonstrations, workshops, tours and lectures on needlecraft.

Jamie Chalmers, 37, from Milton Keynes, said: “We had a really busy day, more than 100 people added to the piece, and we extended the world record by a couple of metres.

“They added little motifs and embellished existing stitches.

“Ultimately, embroidery is very peaceful. It is a combination of creating something and meditating.”

Find out more about the Meiji exhibition, which runs until the end of January, at ashmolean.org/exhibitions