RETRO VIDEO: '˜British Houdini' does burning rope trick in Buxton
A video from British Pathe shows 300 people in the Pavilion Gardens watching the '˜British Houndini' escapologist escape from a burning rope.
Alan Alan was filmed in 1959 being put into a straight jacket and hoisted 30ft into the air before the mayor of Buxton then set fire to the petrol soaked rope which was keeping him in the air.
It took him just 85 seconds to free himself completely and the successful magician was met with a round of applause when he was back on the ground outside the Pavilion Gardens buildings.