Magician climbs to new heights

David Blaine is trying to overcome his deepest fears

BY Jane Standley BBC correspondent in New York

The American cult magician, David Blaine, has been winched to the top of an 80-foot pillar in a New York City park for his latest endurance stunt.

He intends to stay there for 35 hours without moving.

Blaine is seen as a modern Houdini

The 29-year-old has been called a modern day Houdini for his stunts - which have included being encased in a block of ice for more than 60 hours.

Blaine stood on top of a metal ball attatched to the crane which winched him high into the air.

He reached the top of the pillar that he is to call home, where there is a small platform for him to stand on.

But it is not much bigger than his feet.

The magician thanked the crowd who had turned out to cheer him on.

He says that his endurance feats in the past have been successful due to the support of his fans.

Challenges

In November 2000 he broke records for standing still - but that time he was encased in a block of ice.

Thousands of people came to see the stunt in New York's Times Square, which was inspired by the original American stuntman, Harry Houdini.

Blaine was encased in ice for 60 hours

Before that, Blaine made his name for surviving a week buried in a coffin.

He says his bizarre feats are challenges - all of them rooted in his deepest fears which one by one he tries to overcome.

This time he is trying to beat his fear of heights.

But there is significant money and celebrity to be acquired - he will jump down from his lofty perch in the same way in which he was cut out of his ice block - live on prime time American television.