Daring Portsmouth magician to escape straitjacket while hanging under Spinnaker Tower

Magician Dan Churchley from Southsea, will attempt to escape from a straitjacket whilst suspended 100 metres above sea level, upside down, beneath the Emirates Spinnaker Tower's glass floor Sky Walk. As well as captivating tower visitors, the stunt will also aim to raise money for CLIC Sargent, UKs leading cancer charity for children and young people.

Picture: Sarah Standing (170410-4684) PPP-170323-105259001 — Magician Dan Churchley from Southsea, will attempt to escape from a straitjacket whilst suspended 100 metres above sea level, upside down, beneath the Emirates Spinnaker Tower's glass floor Sky Walk. As well as captivating tower visitors, the stunt will also aim to raise money for CLIC Sargent, UKs leading cancer charity for children and young people. Picture: Sarah Standing (170410-4684) PPP-170323-105259001

But this is no ordinary escape as he will be completing the feat while hanging upside-down, 100m above sea level.

Dan will be dangling underneath the glass floor of the Spinnaker Tower at Gunwharf Quays.

The Portsmouth resident said: ‘I’m very excited about the stunt but as it draws nearer, the nerves are definitely starting to kick in.

‘It is a seriously high point to be dangled from for all to see.

‘I am not overly comfortable with heights but I am reasonably confident that I can do it.

‘I regularly do the straitjacket escape in my shows as a magician and I have done a few trials upside-down but from a much lower height.

‘They have gone quite well but the pressure is on for the day.’

Dan, 29, decided to take on the stunt to raise money for cancer charity Clic Sargent.

It supports children and young people with cancer and it is an organisation close to Dan’s heart.

He added: ‘Clic Sargent is the real inspiration behind this event.

‘The charity is very close to my heart after I lost my best friend at the age of 21 to a short fight with cancer. I’ll be doing the escape in his memory.

‘It will be nice to give something back and help a new family after the great support Clic Sargent provided for my friend and his loved ones.’

Dan is hoping to raise £1,000 for the charity and has so far raised £300.

Last year, Clic Sargent supported 560 children and young people with cancer, and their families, from the south of England.

It gave out 387 grants, to a value of more than £78,000, to help families deal with the financial impact of cancer.

Fundraising manager for Hampshire Liz Blunt said: ‘We rely entirely on donations to fund our vital work and so we can’t thank Dan enough for his fantastic efforts.

‘Thanks to Dan and his truly unique fundraising event, we will be able to help even more young people in the south of England get all the practical, financial and emotional support they need.

‘Receiving support like this is really is like magic to us and our young people.’

Dan, who works as a professional magician, has been entertaining audiences for more than a decade with his tricks, jokes and his work as an escapologist.

The stunt is taking place on Wednesday, April 12 at 12.30pm.

To make a donation to Dan visit his Just Giving page at justgiving.com/fundraising/straitjacketescape.