TWO records were smashed at a major charity event staged by the Kent Messenger media group.

The KM Big Quiz broke records for both the largest wine and wisdom evening ever staged in Kent and also the most money raised for charity at a quiz night.

Eighty five teams of eight people took part breaking the Kent record set in Ashford back in November by one team. More than £10,400 was raised, breaking the record held by the 2007 Canterbury event when £10,000 was reached for the first time. The Shepherd Neame Spitfire charity bar raised £1,900 towards this year's total.

The funds will be divided between four causes: Kent Walking Bus, the League of Friends at Canterbury Hospital, the Lady Mayoress of Canterbury's Charity Appeal and the Canterbury branch of the RSPCA, which is raising funds to build an animal rescue centre at Hersden, near Canterbury.

The event saw a dramatic climax when two titans of the quiz world tied for first place at the end of the evening on 67 points out of a possible 80. A head-to-head tie-breaker resulted in The Unicorn, St Dunstan's, Canterbury, triumph over rivals Bonny Cravat, Woodchurch, Ashford.

Seventy five of the 85 teams taking part scored 50 per cent or more on the night which questionmaster Simon Dolby said showed the difficulty of questions had been pitched just right.

He said: "It was a great evening and everyone involved in staging the event is pleased at the record amount raised. For so many teams to have done so well in terms of questions answered is excellent."

Score table

1 The Unicorn 67 (tie-break winner) Bonny Cravat, Woodchurch 67; Dunces with wolves 64; The New Inn Canterbury, Romney Raiders 62; White Lion, Selling 60; Escape From Victory 59; Sturry Friends, Gin'll Fix It! 58; The Moomins, Brents Tavern, Bean Counters, Abacus Bashers 57; ISG Cathedral, The Ides of March, Sausage Makers, Revenue Raiders, Definitley Maybe 56; Super Duper Shooting Stars, Larking About, Sturry Walking Bus, Ancient Artifacts, Lady Mayoress Charity, Clover's South African Safari and friends 54; Up the Proverbial Creek, Oxford Baggers, Handbags and Gladrags, Lib Dem Layabouts, Mad Hatters, Chuck Norris 53; Furley, Pigeon Fanciers 52; Dale's Diamond, Canterbury Sunrise 51; Argyll Insurance, Bubble and Squeak, Lib Dem Champions 50; Chaucer Chums; Only Fools and Hopeless, Great Crested Newts, Wye Bother 49; The Innocent Bystanders, The Naggers, Moat Homes 48; Dimwits, Prickley Nuts 47; Buccaneers, Shepherdswell Shiners, The Mighty Boosh, Bridge Babes, Serco, League Leaders 46; Rail Canterbury, The Fried Eggheads, Hayleys Comments, The Munch Bunch, Forever Optimists 45; Batteries Required, Trailfinders Two, Northern Rockers, BW Wonders, Just Good Friends, The Impossibles 44; Newly Appointment Geniuses, The Directors Cut, Beltinge Brain Boxes, Trailfinders One 43; Paws for Thought, The Crypt Club 42; The Lovely Bunnies, All Shop Talk, BSF Consulting Engineers 41; Health Check, Nationwide Nutters, Brett Boffins 40; RSPCA 39; Desperate Measures 38; The Operating Table, HSBC 37; Southern Comfort 36; The Mick Spreaders 35; The Know Eyed Ears, Body and Mind 34; Crazy Ladies; 33.3 per cent Ginger 33.

Mini competition winners: Coombs Sports and Social Club, The Ides of March; Local Government, Gin'll Fix It!; NHS, Sturry Friends; Kent Messenger media group, Dunces With Wolves; RSPCA, Chuck Norris.