WATCH: Daredevil jumps off crane in Oxford city centre

George King, also known as the Shard Climber, is well-known on social media for his death defying stunts climbing public buildings.

Mr King, who is originally from Oxford, climbed the crane near Oxford Castle and Prison before leaping from it with just a single parachute to save him.

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The daredevil is well-known for his death defying stunts. Picture: George King

This form of extreme sport is known as BASE jumping.

BASE being an acronym (Building, Antenna, Span and Earth) which describes the four broad groups of objects which participants jump from with a single parachute attached to them: buildings, antenna (referring to radio masts), spans (bridges), and earth (cliffs).

There is no back up parachute and even if there were, there would not be time to use it before impact.

BASE jumping is significantly more hazardous than other forms of parachuting and is widely considered to be one of the most dangerous extreme sports.

He jumps from fixed objects with just a parachute to protect him. Picture: George King

The 22-year-old said: “Oxford my birth town was also the start of my urban climbing journey as a kid. Taking on small climbs around the city, it christened my love for urban freesolo.

“I feel such an overwhelming sense of privilege and fulfilment to come back at 22 with a BASE rig, jumping in aerial solitude amongst the dreaming spires.

“This jump has given me more fulfilment than any other jump I have done.

“A real sense of self-actualisation.”

He added: “Not only is this the birth place of my urban climbing journey. But also the birth of everything which makes me. Friends. Lifes Ups and downs, memories, experiences,  all started in this very small but personally significant city.

“I struggle putting into words what it feels to return to my hometown and experience it in this way. It’s really hard to articulate why that’s so special to me.

“There’s a nostalgic  feeling I will forever feel when walking down broad street knowing that at one point my body has been in aerial no-man’s-land down that channel.”

Mr King became interested in BASE jumping when he was 10-years-old. Picture: George King

Mr King became interested in BASE jumping when he was 10-years-old and watched a video of someone taking part in the sport.

He said he would jump from trees and pretend to be a BASE jumper, enjoying the feeling that came with jumping that he now knows to be adrenaline.

Explaining the feeling he gets from jumping, he said: “Every sense in your body is heightened and there is an overwhelming sense of euphoria. It is like trying to describe colour to a blind person, it is a feeling like no other.

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This story was written by Sophie Perry. She joined the team in 2021 as a digital reporter.

You can get in touch with her by emailing: sophie.perry@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @itssophieperry

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