Escapologist Antony Britton lucky to be alive after stunt goes wrong

Mike Gallagher

Sep 8, 2015 - 12:30

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Escapologist Antony Britton lucky to be alive after stunt goes wrong

An escapologist has admitted he is fortunate to be alive he lost consciousness during a stunt.

Antony Britton’s latest escape bid involved being handcuffed and buried in a grave beneath six feet of soil.

But it didn’t go to plan. Almost nine minutes after Antony went in, he was hauled out, unconscious, by crew members when he failed to emerged at the surface, and had to be given oxygen from a waiting ambulance.

Antony Britton's hand is visible as team members pull him free in the Buried Alive escape bid at Slaithwaite Spa.. .. BYLINE PAUL SARIPO.. Pic from MEN Syndication.. .. Mitchell Henry House.. Hollinwood Avenue.. Chadderton.. Oldham.. OL9 8EF.. syndication@men-news.co.uk.. Pic from MEN Syndication.. .. Mitchell Henry House.. Hollinwood Avenue.. Chadderton.. Oldham.. OL9 8EF.. syndication@men-news.co.uk

Picture: MEN Syndication)

‘I almost died,’ he said.

‘I was just seconds away from death. It was scary.

‘The pressure of the soil was crushing around me. Even when I found an air pocket, when I exhaled the soil around me was crushing me even more.

‘I could feel myself losing consciousness and there was nothing I could do. I was pretty much dying.’

(Picture: MEN Syndication)

Antony discovered he just was two feet from the surface when he was rescued.

The stunt was the highlight of an event held to raise money for Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research, which is changing its name later this month to Bloodwise.

Antony is the head of not-for-profit Escape for Life. He is the third person in a century to attempt the Buried Alive escape. Both Harry Houdini and Alan Alan failed.