Page 2 - link magazine

2 The Link Magazine • October 2003

CYCLECARE - Purton Swindon escapologist looks for sponsor to back
sales • spares • repairs death defying world record strait-jacket escape
ADAMS Phil Walker from Toothill could be considered the maddest man on the planet. He wants to be
trailer bike trussed up in a strait-jacket and suspended at 13,000 feet from a hot air balloon by four steel cables,
with smart hitch each with an explosive charge attached, timed to go off at thirty second intervals. Phil reckons he
for age 4 - 8
can free himself in under two minutes, tear away the remaining charge, don a parachute brought
PUKY down by an assistant and float down to glory. If he does not make it, plummeting to a glorious end
f
German made is assured.
kids bike Nobody has yet tried such an with ballooning or ex- sponsor's to fail.
BROMPTON audacious world record and Phil treme sports. But who "It really is frustrating
folders has registered the proposal with knows where this Link that potential sponsors
GIANT Guinness World Records. exclusive might take don't get it. Americans re-
family bikes Despite the fantastic media cov- him? ceive all the attention;
jerage the attempt would get, Phil's Phil is well known in there is no encourage-
89 High Street, Purton initial approaches to major sponsors Swindon and further ment for British escapolo-
Tel: 778123 have been met with little interest; afield for his magic gists or magicians."
even from companies connected shows, close up illusions, A further problem for
dressing up as Count Phil is he cannot do the
Dracula and being a stunt in the UK. The Civil
clown at children's par- \viation Authority have
ties. The Link has covered refused permission be-
I his activities since March cause he would not be
1995 when he and his wearing a parachute,
wife, Heather, went into y ^^ hich is incompatible to
the entertainment busi- getting out of a strait-
ness as Hemlock Produc- jacket. He would have to
tions. Now they put on go to the USA, Jordan or
I
I corporate entertainment, Switzerland.
cabaret events and ap- "Obviously it's a risky
pear at kid's parties. proposition, but you need
Several years ago Phil the element of danger to
discovered he can dislo- make it worthwhile do-
cate a shoulder to escape ing" said Phil.
from a strait-jacket. Peo- Heather supports him,
ple attending the Wilt- but still thinks it's a bark-
shire Festival Party in the ing idea. "I'm not happy
Park in 1999 will remember Phil about it, but I'm confident he could
freeing himself whilst suspended do it," she said.
by a burning rope from a 100 foot So, David Blaine eat your heart
crane, above. out, if you survive your box.
He explained that his world
record idea came when talking to What's your best book?
British woman balloon record The BBC Big Read is searching
holder Lyndsey Muir. "Having for the nation's best loved novel.
trained as a parachutist with the But in Swindon libraries, it's
Army and skydived as a hobby, it not just about books as many of
occurred to me that we could do the top 100 titles are available on
i something amazing; 13,000 feet is audio book, video or DVD.
the highest you can go in a balloon Central, North and West Swin-
without oxygen, so it would be a don libraries have special dis-
long-standing record. plays during October and librar-
"Some people think I'm nuts but ians are looking for comments on
the idea is entirely feasible. The these stories.
project would be fully assessed for See what else is on offer at local
safety in the planning and execu- libraries next month on page 6.
tion. It's not in my interest or the

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