Stuntman dies when safety nets fails in human cannonball show in Kent
A human cannonball was dramatically killed today when the stunt went tragically wrong in front of a huge crowd.
Horrified onlookers watched helplessly as the 23-year-old man was fired from the cannon only for his safety net to fail to engage properly.
A Kent Police spokesman said the man's next-of-kin had been informed but he has yet to be formally identified.
Dare devil: A performer at a previous Scott May's show shoots out of the cannon as part of the human cannonball stunt. Today's tragedy is believed to have happened due to a safety net malfunction. The 23-year-old man has yet to be formally identified
Bystanders who had flocked to see the Bank Holiday stunt at a county show said the man was knocked unconscious and had blood pouring from his mouth moments after impact.
The accident happened during a performance at the Kent County Showground in Detling, Kent, this afternoon.
An evening performance was immediately cancelled and police cordoned off the showground as officers investigated the tragedy.
Members of the public were told to avoid the area and all of the Scott May daredevil shows were cancelled.
'A man taking part in a human cannonball event has died after it is believed a safety net failed to engage,' said a spokesman for Kent Police.
'The evening show was due to start at 7.30pm but it has now been cancelled.'
Stunt action: The Scott May's show has been touring the country since 1991 and boasts stunts including motorcycle jumps and monster trucks as well as the human cannonball. The Scott May's website states that all shows are cancelled until further notice
One woman who watched the show with her three-year-old son said she had been horrified when the stuntman - named only as Matt - landed right in front of where she had been standing.
'He was right in front of us and had blood coming from his mouth and was out cold,' she said.
The man was taken to hospital but later died from his injuries.
'We got a call at 3.40pm to the Kent County Showground, Detling, where a man in his 20s was suffering from traumatic injuries,' said a spokesman from South East Coast Ambulance Service.
'He was treated by a land ambulance crew that attended with a single responder in a car and the air ambulance crew.
'He was then taken by land ambulance with the assistance of a paramedic and doctor from the air ambulance on board.'
Family event: Hundreds of day-trippers had flocked to the Kent County Showground in Detling to watch the bank holiday show. Bystanders said the man was knocked unconcious and had blood pouring from his mouth moments after impact
The Scott May's show has been touring the country since 1991 and boasts stunts including motorcycle jumps and monster trucks as well as the human cannonball.
The rocket is built on to the back of a 7.5 tonne truck and during the stunt the human cannonball climbs into the huge barrel before being fired into the air.
The performer then lands on a safety net, but must climb down before the poles holding the net in place crash to the ground.
A spokesman from the Scott May Stunt Show would not comment on the man's death but said that 'due to unforeseen circumstances all shows have been cancelled until further notice.'
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