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Journalist recreates Blaine stunt

The Derby Evening Telegraph’s very own David Blaine has recreated the illusionist’s latest bizarre stunt – by setting up his own stunt in the city’s market place.

But passers-by had to do a double-take when they saw Robin Johnson, because he was encapsulated in a home-made cardboard box.

Robin had to endure only four hours without food but he decided the stunt would be a fair test of whether David Blaine – being suspended over the Thames in a Perspex box for 44 days – is a conjurer or a con-man.

He said: “My decision to skip breakfast was sure to conspire against me.

“Like Blaine, I was allowed nothing to eat – only water. My challenge was to take place through lunchtime – only the power of positive thought would keep the hunger pangs at bay.

“And as far as going to the toilet was concerned, where Blaine has a tube, I had two legs to cross.”

The smaller scale of the Evening Telegraph stunt and the associated budget made for some difficult moments.

Robin had called the city council and local police to warn them he would be there, and wasn’t a lunatic. But there were still some pitfalls.

He said: “I found such solitude led me to think of all different kinds of things, especially, ‘I hope no-one who knows me walks by’.

“I suddenly began to feel rather vulnerable – and my worst fears were confirmed. Michael Harris and Ben Walker, of Alvaston, had spotted me.

“It was then I realised that cardboard might not have been the best material to make my box.

“Instead of offering words of encouragement to me to keep me going, the pair seemed intent on trying to push the box over.

“With some of my energy expunged and lunchtime having arrived, my stomach started to gurgle. All I had with me was my bottle of mineral water.

“I was coming towards the end of my four hours and the law of probabilities had told me that at some point a police officer would walk by.

“But my call to Derby police before I started the challenge had reaped its benefits – and PC Wright was fully aware of what I was up to.

“Apparently, the staff in police control at St Mary’s Wharf had been watching my progress on the CCTV.”

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