Taiwanese bike stuntman dies

Kor Shou-liang matched the feats of the great US stuntmen

A famous Taiwanese motorcycle daredevil has died, aged 50 - but not while attempting a new stunt on his bike.

Instead Kor Shou-liang may have unwittingly set a different kind of record, after attending three banquets in a row on Monday night.

A police spokesman in the Chinese city of Shanghai said Kor died from an "alcohol-induced asthma attack", after drinking all night.

But even if his death was sudden, his fame was no mere overnight sensation.

Kor had jumped over the Great Wall of China on his motorcycle in 1992, and powered his way over the Yellow River five years later.

He was also famous for several big-budget action films - not just as a stuntman, but also as an actor, singer and director.

He was known throughout Asia by the nickname Xiao Hei ("Little Black One"), while in Hong Kong he was known as Orr Sau-leung.

As news of his death became known, rumours spread that he had been killed while filming a stunt for an advertisement.

The coroner is now investigating the precise cause of death, but it seems clear that motorcycles had nothing to do with it.