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Rob Roy Collins at St. Catharines Busker Festival

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Imagine trying to escape from a straitjacket, while suspended upside down.

Now imagine that the other end of the rope that holds your feet is attached to a helicopter.

And now…imagine that helicopter is hovering 50 metres off the ground.

It’s all in a day’s work for British Escapologist Rob Roy Collins.

Known across the U.K. – and indeed, the world – for his death-defying hand-cuff, chain and straitjacket escapes, Collins travels the globe in search of new challenges.  Earlier this year, in a breathtaking celebration of Harry Houdini’s birthday, Collins dangled precariously from the tracks of a rollercoaster 60 feet in the air and beat Houdini’s best time for escaping from a straitjacket.

Collins wriggled free in just one minute and 53 seconds.

Here in Niagara, Collins found a fresh challenge – a daring stunt he knew he had to complete in less than two minutes, before too much blood rushed to his head causing him to lose consciousness.

Naturally in Niagara was on hand to witness this incredible challenge, to meet Collins and to marvel at  his mental and physical strength. As the cables were attached to the straitjacketed stunt master, we were amazed by his calm courage.

The crowd watched anxiously as Collins ascended high above the ground. The beating of the helicopter blades was deafening and the scent of fear was in the air.  A man’s life literally hung in the balance above us.

We held our breath.

Though it felt like an eternity, it took Collins just one minute and 22 seconds to tear away the final strap, free himself from the straitjacket,  and pull a Union Jack flag from his pocket in a cheeky salute to his success.

“I’m really pleased about it, nice one…I’m pumped!” said Collins of his stunt.

We couldn’t have agreed more!

If you’d like to see Collins in action, plan to join in the St. Catharines Buskerfest in downtown St. Catharines this weekend, August 12-14, where he’ll be performing along with a host of other talented entertainers!

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The Author

Marc DeLisio is the Director of Marketing and Technology at Naturally in Niagara. Marc loves Niagara, and is striving to make it an even better place to Live, Work, Play, Invest and Retire!

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