The students at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA broke the record this week for most people husking corn with 3,463 new students husking simultaneously.

Previously, the record for the most people husking corn was 351, achieved at an event organised by Knott's Berry Farm (USA) in Buena Park, California, USA.

The director of dining services, Dawn Aubrey, is credited with coming up with the idea for the University of Illinois to try their hands at it.

"The students now have something really special and unique to memorialize their convocation that no other freshman class has," said Dawn, "They're all excited and starting to post messages on Twitter already."

Plans for a 2013 record attempt are already being considered.

The record attempt was a nod to the university's agricultural history, as super sweet corn was invented by John Laughnan, a professor at the University of Illinois.

After the corn had been husked, it was served for dinner in the university housing's dining halls.