Craigyhill bonfire: 'Professional base jumper' leaps from top of mammoth 200+ foot tall pyre for charity

Also see: Craigyhill bonfire Larne: Pictures show why builders hope pyre will hit 210 feet tall by July 11

A post on the Craigyhill bonfire and cultural page along with the video says: " It’s all for a good cause folks ….This guy is a professional base jumper, not some eejit with a parachute.

“This professional had prepped for this days before.

"We decided to let Stephen do this to draw attention to this worthy cause and hopefully get the funds needed to help wee Skye and to help the children’s hospice in aid of young Scarlet.

“Just wow”.

Earlier bonfire builder ‘John’ said he fully expects the bonfire to reach between 202 and 210 feet – making it the biggest bonfire measured in the world.

"Everything went well in building the bonfire,” he told the News Letter. “There is a firm coming in on Tuesday and Wednesday to take the height.

"The crane driver gave us an estimate of over 202 feet – but we are just getting the height to see what it is for our own sake, I suppose.

"We might send it to the Guinness Book of Records – but we are not paying the fee to get them out here.

"There were a few drones there yesterday and the heights they measured ranged from 202 to 210 feet depending on who took it.

"And when we get the final height this week we will put it on the page.

"It will beat the record anyway – we will send it on to the Guinness Book of Records, but whether or not they use it is another story.”

According to the Guinness book of records, the tallest bonfire in the world is currently 198 ft 11 in, which was built in Lustenau, Austria, in March 2019.

Hofstalder Funkenzunft Lustenau is a group which organises a bonfire every year at the location to mark the end of their carnival, an annual tradition which has been in place since the Middle Ages.

‘John’ added that “thousands of people” attended the site of the Craigyhill bonfire yesterday (Sunday) to “see it”.

“There were thousands of people there yesterday – anywhere between 3 and 5000 people,” he said.

"They came to see the finished piece after the beacon was added to the top.

“The atmosphere was great. But if the bonfire hadn’t of been as big it would not have brought the crowd.

"Cars were parked right around the green and a couple if committee members had to direct the traffic.

"The stalls were there and the ice cream trucks, the amusements are also in place so there is a lot going on.

"Children are off school so they are taking advantage of the amusements and bouncy castles – and most of it is free.

"But the stage has still to come for the DJ’s. So far everything has gone according to plan.”

He added there is still around the clock security watching the bonfire.

"I would estimate that the bonfire this year cost around £60K – £30K for the pallets and 30K for everything else.

"That is all funded by us.

"When you go on the page people seen to think we are being funded by this one and that one, but we are not. We are sick of hearing that.

"No-one gives away free pallets now.

"Firms are only selling and anyone saying different hasn’t a clue. All our pallets have been bought.

“We know what we are doing and how much we have to fundraise.”