The Malta Independent 18 May 2024, Saturday
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Watch: Frightening moments as daredevil becomes first person to climb Wembley arch

Tuesday, 9 June 2015, 15:50 Last update: about 10 years ago

A daredevil free climber has become the first person to scale the 440ft high Wembley arch - after which he warned 'don't try this at home'.

James Kingston, 24, from Romsey, Hampshire, spent two hours filming himself at the dizzying height - but he was given a helping hand to reach the London landmark, The Daily Mail reports.

The stuntman, who used to be scared of heights, was carried all the way to the top in a maintenance cable and then recorded sweeping panoramic views across the capital, as well as the hallowed Wembley turf below. 

Speaking after the climb, he said: 'I've dreamt of being on top of the Wembley arch from the day I first laid eyes on it eight years ago when the new stadium opened.

'It's such an iconic landmark. I've stood on the top of buildings and structures all over the world but I've never felt more on top of the world than on the top of Wembley arch today.' 

It has taken a team of more than 30 safety and security professionals and over three months of meticulous planning before the climb was allowed to go ahead. 

He spent 25 minutes in the maintenance cable, which dropped him off a few feet below the 440ft peak of the arch. He then filmed himself and the stunning surroundings for two hours, before returning to ground level via the cable.

The stuntman has previously performed nerve-jangling challenges, including taking a selfie from the top of a 300ft crane in Southampton and climbing the 1,084ft Eiffel Tower in Paris, for which he was arrested by French police.

He also climbed the second tallest building in Dubai, the Princess Tower, a 101-storey residential building in the Marina district, for which he was arrested in November last year.  

He was also detained by authorities in Ukraine after climbing to the top of the Moscow Bridge in Kiev, and performing a back flip.

Mr Kingston shot to fame when a video of him hanging one-handed from a crane in Cambridge went viral on the web. 

The 24-year-old, who lives with his mother, spends his spare time scaling cranes and radio towers and his YouTube videos have attracted more than 11million views. 

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