A MAGICIAN from Extremadura has broken a world record by lying in a sarcophagus made from ice for three hours and 40 minutes.
Illusionist Víctor Cerro set up a covered 'bed' from ice blocks in the Plaza de la Libertad in the cathedral city of Burgos (Castilla y León) and entered it at 18.49 exactly on Friday, reports released today (Sunday) have revealed.
By the time he had crossed through the three-hour barrier at 21.49, he had set a new record for the stunt, but remained there for a further 40 minutes 'to make it harder for anyone else to beat'.
The previous record had been set by Romania's Cristian Gog, at three hours, although Víctor was aiming to get to three hours and 40 minutes.
In the end, after the three hours and 40 minutes, he decided to keep going for as long as he could stand it to make beating him an even tougher challenge.
Hundreds of members of the public attending the Experience Magic International Festival in the square – now in its 24th year – cheered Víctor on and counted down the seconds until he had beaten Gog's record.
His decision to carry on meant he became disoriented and was trembling violently for more than 20 minutes.
Finally, at 23.00, having endured four hours, 10 minutes and 31 seconds in ice, he emerged, greeted by whoops and cheers from onlookers.
As soon as he had set the new world record, Víctor headed for León, where he will cut the red tape on the city's Magic Festival on Christmas Day, with his show The Angel of Death.
This will see him try to escape from a straitjacket tied to a wire danging from a crane, hanging down the façade of León cathedral, before a giant 'snapdragon' of knives close in on him.
