Spinnaker Tower jump: Daredevil former paratrooper John Bream 'the Flying Fish' base-jumps 558ft from Gunwharf Quays landmark

John Bream, nicknamed 'John the Flying Fish', plummeted from the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth in a daring base-jumping stunt.

However, Mr Bream said he had to land in water after ‘coming in too fast’ and security and police officers rushed over as they feared he could be a terrorist due to the loud bang his parachute made.

The 35-year-old leapt from the tower with his friend and the former world champion base jumper known as 'DTM'. Base jumping involves leaping from heights and using a parachute to land safely.

Mr Bream said he decided to do the jump to show people we can 'achieve brilliance', and tried to do it at the quietest time, in the morning, as he did not want to bump into anyone when he landed in the busy shopping area below.

The father of three, who refers to himself as a modern day Evel Knievel, said: ‘It was just to show people we can achieve brilliance.

‘I wanted to keep making people smile and entertaining them – it’s nice.

‘I came in too fast so I had to ditch into the stretch of water where people drive model boats. I swam out to safety as quick as I could.

‘Then when we got out security came up and they thought we were terrorists because our parachutes went bang.

‘The police came over and when they realised that we did not do anything they left us alone.’

DTM, 55, landed safely on the concrete runway where his friend was meant to land.

Mr Bream - who served tours in Iraq, Afghanistan and Northern Ireland – says he also does stunts to raise awareness for mental health issues, particularly among servicemen.

Mr Bream, from Bedhampton, got the Guinness World Record for the highest jump from an aircraft into water when he plummeted 131ft into the Solent off Hayling Island in October 2020.