Blaine 'suffers heart palpitations'

Blaine is also said to be suffering from blurry vision

David Blaine's spokespeople say he has suffered heart palpitations and breathing problems only two days before the end of his London starvation stunt.

The US magician, 30, was said to be "not in the best of health".

Blaine's Perspex box will be lowered to the ground at 2130 BST on Sunday - though it is not known whether he will be able to stand.

The illusionist is also said to be suffering from blurry vision after 42 days without food.

"His goal is to aim for Sunday - that is only two-and-a-half days away," a spokesman said.

"He has been focusing on that all week and he has passed his final weekend, but there are still risks to his health."

On Sunday the box, by the River Thames at Tower Bridge, will be lowered by crane and "tilted to the side and David will come out of the box," the spokesman said.

The people who have spent six weeks watching David Blaine

In pictures

"Whether he walks out or he has to be assisted, we will have to wait and see.

"He will then be put on a stretcher and taken off in an ambulance to a private hospital. "

Blaine will then build up his strength with food and mineral supplements.

"He won't be able to start eating properly for some period of time," said the spokesman.

"He could be in hospital for a few days or more than a week."

But it is thought that it could take as long as six months for Blaine to recover his muscle strength and return to his normal fitness.

Police visit

The magician had gained extra weight before going into the Perspex box suspended over a park next to the London mayor's base, City Hall, on 5 September.

He is now sporting longer hair and a straggly beard, and has been huddled up in sleeping bags against the cold.

Meanwhile, 10 police officers could be facing disciplinary action after going to visit the stunt when they should have been on night patrol in east London.

The probationers were seen turning up in full uniform at 0400 nearly a week ago, and told site security they were not responding to a call but were simply bored.

The officers should have been taking part in street patrols in East Ham and Stratford, five miles away from the stunt.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson told BBC News Online the force was "disappointed" with the officers' behaviour.

'Blaine-baiting'

Blaine may take six months to recover fully

Since the magician entered the Perspex box on 5 September he has had to contend with a campaign of "Blaine-baiting" with passers-by taunting him with egg throwing and constant noise.

According to Sky, more than 250,000 people have visited the stunt over the last 42 days.

Blaine has had to fend off crowd taunts and abuse during this time, as well as being pelted with eggs and sausages.

A daily newspaper tied a beef burger to a remote-controlled helicopter and flew it up to Blaine's box.

Businessman Stephen Charles Field, 38, from Godalming in Surrey, was fined £750 for causing criminal damage to the illusionist's water supply on 16 September.

Sir Paul McCartney was also involved in a scuffle at the stunt site last month when a photographer tried to take his picture.

On Friday Blaine was visited by British illusionist Derren Brown, who performed a Russian roulette stunt on television two weeks ago.

Although there is a certain amount of cynicism surrounding the feat, Blaine denied it was all a trick in an interview with US news channel CNN earlier this week.

"No, I am really here doing what I said I was going to do," he said.

"I have never decided to do anything for this length of time."