Bank holiday horror: Families watch as human cannonball plunges to his death when safety net fails - 26th Apr 2011

Horrified families looked on as a human cannonball was killed when his safety net failed during an Easter Bank Holiday extravaganza.

The stuntman suffered catastrophic head and neck injuries when he hit the ground in front of a huge crowd at the Kent County Showground.

Eyewitnesses said the stuntman was fired up to 50ft in the air as part of Scott May’s Daredevil Stunt Show.

But the recoil from the massive barrel, which is attached to a 7.5 ton lorry, appeared to make his safety net collapse.

Luke Adams, 38, who was watching the show with his children, said onlookers were stunned and confused by the accident as they did not know if it was part of the show.

He said: ‘It was absolutely horrendous. The net collapsed while he was in the air. As the cannon went bang the truck recoiled.

‘As it moved I could see the net drop to the ground.

‘He landed on the grass head first and continued to roll forward but then stayed on his back motionless.’

Another woman, who watched the show with her three-year-old son, described how the stuntman landed directly in front of her.

She said: ‘He was right in front of us and had blood coming from his mouth and was out cold.’ Read More