by holdthefrontpage staff
A journalist from the Evening Gazette on Teesside has taken part in the first ever bungee jump event from a UK bridge.
Reporter Will Sutton braved heights of 180ft to dive head-first off of Middlesbrough's famous Transporter Bridge, as part of a test which will pave the way for a major fundraising event in the area later this year.
He followed veteran 'jumper' Jon Snape - who has completed 800 bungee jumps - to become only the second person to do a legal bungee jump from a bridge in the UK.
Will gets ready for the jump
He told HoldtheFrontPage: "It was a brilliant experience but absolutely terrifying."
Will, (25), had originally planned to just report on the test by the UK Bungee Club, ahead of a fundraiser for the Brian Clough Memorial Fund where he and around 100 other volunteers will bungee jump from the bridge.
But his news editor thought the test "would make a great first-person piece" and suggested that Will take part too.
Over the edge
Will, who has previously completed a skydive and bungee jump in Australia, said: "I thought I had two or three months to psyche myself up.
"I had to walk up these zig-zag stairs and it got worse as I got higher. My palms were sweating.
"I am nervous of heights but I am still psychotic enough to throw myself off.
"I knew it would be a fantastic experience jumping out across the water."
He added: "It really was incredible. I could see Teesside bouncing upside down and then I was sat in a boat grinning like an idiot with a head that felt like the blood was pumping straight into my eyes."
The Brian Clough Memorial Fund was set up 18 months ago to raise money for a statue of the former Middlesbrough striker, and Will has been reporting on its progress ever since. He will complete a second jump off the bridge on August 13, when he will be joined by around 100 fellow fundraisers.
"Can somebody get me down?"
Do you have a story about the regional press? Ring 0116 227 3122/3121, or e-mail pastill@nep.co.uk
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