Two friends are hoping to break the world record for most chihuahuas gathered in one place, raising money for two charities and encouraging people to open up about mental health issues.

Since a councillor stopped them from holding the event on Perranporth beach, the pair have found a new site for the event at Chapel Farms in Newquay.

Dehaan Van-Evelingen is from Falmouth, and he and Cara Watson have had their own struggles with mental health issues. In 2014 Dehaan's doctor suggested that a pet dog might help with his depression.

He said: "I got Bojo when I was at my lowest point with depression and I was told by my doctor to get a dog, and the property I was living in wasn't big enough for a big dog so I got Bojo.

"I've got to get up every day, I've got to let him out, I've got to feed him, it's a responsibility where when you live by yourself there isn't a responsibility as such, so the dog (the chihuahuas in my case) is my get up and go, it's my boost, it's my energy bar."

Cara and Dehaan supported each other through when suffering from depression and anxiety, but they also rely on help from their tiny canine friends.

Dehaan said: "Before Cara got prince, [she] came over when she was having a down day, it could be 10 or 11 at night, she would come over for a cuddle with Bojo and she would feel fine when she goes home."

Now they hope to show other people how good the sometimes misunderstood chihuahuas can be at putting a smile on your face.

The number to beat is 270, which is the current record for most chihuahuas in one place. Not confident at first that the event would attract a crowd, they were overwhelmed with the online response that followed the announcement of the event.

Cara said: "We didn't expect this turnout if we're going to be completely honest."

She went on to say that after the massive response, she thought: "Let's just go for it, the more money we can raise for these two charities and raise awareness for them both, the better really."

The two charities involved are FMA UK (Fibromyalgia Association, which Cara's mum suffers from), and Last Chance Hotel (a canine rescue charity that Dehaan adopted his pet great dane cross Oscar from).

They have been in touch with the Guinness Book of World Records who will be coming down to officiate. There will also be a variety of stalls with dog shops and ice cream vans as well as entertainment, a dog competition, and a special guest who is yet to be announced.

More information can be found on their gofundme page: https://www.gofundme.com/chihuahua-world-record-uk-2018.