David Blaine stunt ends with a crash in New York

NEW YORK, Nov 24 (Reuters) David Blaine's latest stunt ended with a crash when the performer escaped from shackles in a gyroscope 50 feet (15 metres) above New York's Times Square, leapt and fell through a plywood stage below.

After two days twisting and turning in the air, Blaine unhooked himself, jumped and crashed through the stage about half an hour after being given the go-ahead to try to escape.

He emerged moments later, able to walk but appearing woozy, and greeted a few hundred spectators before being whisked away in a taxi.

Blaine has locked himself in a fish bowl, a block of ice and a coffin in previous stunts. He once spent 44 days in a box suspended over the Thames in London.

This time he spent a little over two full days in the gyroscope. Then promoters of the event gave him 16 hours to break free as of Thursday afternoon, which would have taken him into Friday. Blaine needed only a few minutes to escape despite the cold and rain.

''It's actually harder than I thought it would be,'' Blaine said yesterday while trying to remove the shackle around his waist.

Many in the crowd had gathered after watching New York's Thanksgiving Day parade, which passed near the stunt site just off Times Square.

Reuters SBA VP0448