Seeing their name in lights on the Guinness World Records web site would make most people blow their own trumpet.

But, for Hove trombonist Peter "Fats" Baxter, the joy has been tinged with sadness.

In 1998, at the House of Commons, Peter broke his own record for the fastest rendition of the sailors' hornpipe.

The achievement has never been published in the annual Guinness Book of Records, so Peter did not think the record, clocked at 8.5sec, still stood.

Then a friend chanced upon Peter's name on the official web site and told him his record was still intact.

But the news brought back to Peter memories of the long fight to have his record verified and the tragic deaths of several stars involved in the attempt.

Eamonn Andrews, Roy Castle and former chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra Sir John Pritchard, all helped Peter in his quest but died before it was recognised.

Peter, 61, of Springate Road, Southwick, said: "Looking back, I cannot help feeling sad.

"It is not the fact it happened, but that those people involved have gone. It is like an era has ended."

Peter's mission started in the Eighties, when the conductor at the Last Night of the Proms challenged anyone to play the hornpipe faster than the orchestra.

After several years of practice, Peter achieved the feat and was invited on to the programme What's My Line?, hosted by Eamonn Andrews.

On air, he smashed the orchestra's time of 15 seconds, playing the entire tune on his trombone in just ten.

Peter said: "For a long time, when I first did it on the BBC, I had a problem getting the record accepted.

"You have to have two witnesses sign the Guinness pieces of paper but Eamonn died before he could sign his.

"I had a video of the performance and 18 million people watched it, but that was not good enough for Guinness."

Despite not gaining official recognition, Peter said he was then asked to appear on the following Last Night of the Proms by Sir John Pritchard.

Unfortunately, Sir John died before it could be staged.

Then, in the Nineties, Peter was invited on to the hit children's show Record Breakers.

He and host Roy Castle, an expert trumpeter, were to make a record attempt together.

But Roy was soon diagnosed with lung cancer which put an end to his trumpeting and eventually led to his early death.

Eventually, in 1998, Peter had his record acknowledged after 12 years of wrangling.

But he promptly went and beat it at a House of Commons beer festival in December 1998, and his new record of 8.5 seconds is now online.

Peter said he would not try to better his record again because of the long practice sessions required.

He added: "It is the most boring thing to do, playing the hornpipe for 30 minutes to an hour a day over and over again.

"The music actually has to be played faster than you think. It ceases to be thought and becomes an instinctive noise.

Peter is now developing his interest in Latin music, but said his long-suffering wife Lyn locks him away while he works.