Dexterous Dean Gould has a weighty problem to deal with - after throwing down the gauntlet to a world record-breaking strongman.

FELIXSTOWE: Dexterous Dean Gould has a weighty problem to deal with - after throwing down the gauntlet to a world record-breaking strongman.

Mr Gould is not known for his strength and is better known for his fabulous flipping fingers, having held dozens of offbeat records over the past 25 years such as coin snatching, pancake tossing, winkle-picking and beer mat flipping.

Now he is going head-to-head with Fred “Hercules” Burton over seven tests for which he will need both dexterity skills and some muscles.

Instead of cardboard beer mats, he will be flipping bricks and catching weights thrown at him.

“Fred covers strength records and I do dexterity, but there is a new area now called dexterous strength and we both want to be the world's number one in this field,” said Mr Gould, 45, who lives with his wife Natalie and their three children in Church Road, Felixstowe.

“We have a bitter rivalry but I think we are fairly evenly balanced.

“Training has been going well but both of us have kept quiet regarding how well we have been getting on, so we do not know each other's personal bests.”

All seven records will appear in a book called Believe the Unbelievable, featuring human achievements from all around the world.

“I am confident I can upset Hercules and win this massive challenge. I feel I have the edge with the brick flipping and heaviest weight caught from elbow to palm. It will be a great contest,” said Mr Gould.

Mr Burton, 64, of Cheadle, who is in the Guinness Book of Records for concrete block smashing and blowing up and bursting hot water bottles, said: “I think I can win four of the challenges. His reputation is at stake, but there will be only one winner.”

Mr Gould will be performing at Brackenbury Sports Centre, Felixstowe, on October 16 at 1pm and Mr Burton at the same time in Cheadle.

Do you hold an unusual record? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk

FASTFACTS: The seven challenges

Nail catching - catching as many six-inch nails, thrown from 14 feet away, in one hand as possible in a minute.

Brick lift off a table - lifting a tower of bricks tower of bricks with one hand and holding it for five seconds.

Brick balance - holding as many bricks on the palm of your hand as possible.

Weight catch from elbow - like coin snatching but using a plant pot filled with sand.

Heaviest weight caught from furthest distance - catching a weighted sack thrown from ten feet.

Brick swinging - a one-minute exercise involving holding two bricks in one hand and lifting them up and down.

Brick flipping - Flipping and catching 12 bricks, one after the other, as fast as possible.