Stand-up Stuart Laws is attempting to break the world record for most beer mats flipped and caught in 60 seconds. 

The gilet-wearing comedian will try to exceed a target of 74, set in 2013 by Ashrita Furman. The American currently holds 530 world records, including the record for most world records.

Laws will be trying to take one of those away from him – ‘with the greatest of politeness’ – at Edinburgh’s Monkey Barrel bar at 12.30pm on August 4.

Two long tables will be set up with single mats around the edge. The comic will move along the table flipping them, while Mark Silcox officiates. The filmed flipping will be submitted to be officially recorded – and Laws will make three attempts on the record.

The stand-up staged a Comedians Beer May Flipping Championship in London in March, which was won by Mark Smith, and another at the Machynlleth Comedy Festival in April, won by the Welsh event’s co-founder, Henry Widdicombe.

Laws said: ‘For 30 years I've loved flipping beer mats as an enthusiastic amateur, but with the success of the Comedians Beer Mat Flipping Championship and the fact that my athleticism is on the decline: I decided it was now or never if I was to go pro as a flipper.'

His spokesperson added: ‘Stuart is match fit. He’s been flipping beer mats since the age of eight, and for the last month he’s been training single flips rather than stacks.’

The attempt was announced this morning at 10am, with a video featuring Taskmaster star Ivo Graham.

Laws will be in Edinburgh for his solo show Stuart Laws? Is That Guy Still Going? at Monkey Barrel at 4.45pm daily,  and will be hosting the Comedians Beer Mat Flipping Super Bowl at Pleasance Dome on August 15.