Escapologist sets new record

Malik freed himself in under three minutes

An escapologist has set a new world record after breaking free from a straitjacket while suspended upside down from a burning rope 160ft off the ground.

Hundreds of onlookers cheered as Shahid Malik completed his Houdini-style mid-air stunt before being lowered to the ground by an 80 tonne crane in Glasgow's George Square.

It took the 49-year-old magician from Bradford less than three minutes to wriggle free.

Malik had twice been injured while trying to carry out the feat and, on one occasion, was hospitalised after falling 75ft.

My thoughts are on the escape rather than the rope burning and I try not to look up or down.

Shahid Malik

The tension prior to the attempt on Wednesday was not helped by the DJ's ominous decision to play Westlife's hit, The Last Goodbye.

The crowd were then told that three escapologists - two Americans and a Briton - had died performing similar stunts in the last 15 years.

Asked what was going through his mind while in the middle of the challenge, Malik said: "I try to focus on breaking free from the jacket and blank out the fact that the rope is burning.

"My thoughts are on the escape rather than the rope burning and I try not to look up or down. There is no relief until I am on the ground."

New trick

After acheiving the new record, Malik who was born in Pakistan, performed a stunt for the Glasgow crowd that had never been attempted before.

He escaped from a padlocked sack in a small, wooden crate suspended 100ft above the ground.

He now holds three world records and the burning rope attempt surpassed the previous height benchmark of 120ft.

A former magician of the year, one of Malik's world records is for escaping from a straitjacket while suspended 1,800 feet above the ground.

Before he retires, Malik is devising a stunt that will cement his name in the history books.

He said: "I am planning one escape stunt to end all stunts. I have been devising it for the last 15 years and it involves the Grand Canyon."