Escapologist tried to outdo Houdini by being buried alive in handcuffs under six feet of soil - but he nearly died and had to be rescued

An escapologist who tried to outdo Houdini by being buried alive in handcuffs underneath six feet of soil almost died underground while trying to escape.

Antony Britton, from Linthwaite, West Yorkshire, had hoped to go one better than Harry Houdini by escaping unaided after being handcuffed and buried in a standard-sized grave under the earth.

But the stunt master had to be hauled out unconscious by crew members after he failed to break through to the surface almost nine minutes into the escape bid.

He was taken to a waiting ambulance where he was given oxygen before coming round. 

 

 

His attempt  - in front of an anxious audience at a charity even at Slaithwaite Spa - also resulted in a cracked rib and several minor scratches. 

Mr Britton said: 'I almost died. I was just seconds away from death. It was scary. The pressure of the soil was crushing around me. Even when I found an air pocket, when I exhaled the soil around me was crushing me even more. I could feel myself losing consciousness and there was nothing I could do. I was pretty much dying.

'But everyone was on the ball and the crew was well-drilled. They knew pretty much where I would be under the soil and after the digger had moved in behind me, the team were hand-balling the soil until they could reach me.'

He said his biggest disappointment in his latest stunt was to discover that he was just two feet from the surface when he had to be rescued.

'I gave it my all, but it just wasn't my day,' he said. 'But I'm in the best company going.'

 

 

Mr Britton is only the third person in 100-years to attempt the Buried Alive escape. Legendary escapologist Harry Houdini attempted the feat in 1915 while British master of the craft Alan Alan tried it in 1949. Both failed and had to be dug out by their crews.

'I couldn't be more proud than to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with those guys on this challenge,' added Antony.

The dramatic scenes unfolded a the Escape for Life event on Saturday, which also featured magicians, bands and circus acts and held to raise funds for charity Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research, which is changing its name to Bloodwise this month. 

Mr Britton, who heads not-for-profit company Escape for Life, had been due to undertake the escape bid outside the Traveller's Rest in Meltham in March, but called off the event due to unexpected snowfall.

Saturday's event was also in the balance following rain earlier in the week, but after consulting experts he was given the all-clear.

However, he won't be attempting the Buried Alive escape bid again. Mr Britton, whose previous fundraising events have included escaping a burning steel cage and wriggling out of a strait jacket suspended from a burning rope, said: 'I'll take three or four weeks to recuperate and see what we do next.' 

BRITAIN'S WORST ESCAPOLOGIST? PREVIOUS STUNTS BACKFIRED - FORCING HIM TO DISLOCATE A SHOULDER TO AVOID GETTING BURNED

It is not the first time Mr Britton has misjudged his act. 

Last year crowds watched in horror as he tried to wriggle out of a strait-jacket suspended by burning ropes during a performance in Bradford, West Yorkshire.

But the daredevil didn't realise that high winds would speed up the time it took the flames to burn through the ropes, meaning he had to dislocate his shoulder before being quickly lowered to the ground. 

And in 2013 the escapologist was fastened inside an 8ft steel cage – dubbed Lucifer's Chamber – and given 90 seconds before three fuses were lit.

But as he was about to release the last padlock, the wind changed direction, and he was engulfed in flames - giving him just seconds to escape before he was badly burned.

He told the Huddersfield Daily Examiner at the time: 'It was a scary moment. 

'My left arm caught fire and there were flames on my left upper leg, pushing onto my left hand.

'Put it this way there was a bit of singeing and I won’t need my arms waxing!' 

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In another stunt in 2013, he was padlocked and chained into a solid steel cage before it was set alight

But that also didn't go according to plan - as the wind suddenly changed direction, and he was engulfed in flames as he was about to break free

As the cage erupted in flames, he had just minutes to free himself. His escape took about four minutes