Matt Cranch, 24, had only been a human cannonball for one week after ditching 'mainstream' middle-class life - 27th Apr 2011

The human cannonball who died after he was fired 40ft into the air in front of hundreds of horrified children had been a stuntman for only a week.

Matt Cranch, 24, hit the ground head first as the net meant to break his fall collapsed.

Yesterday friends said Mr Cranch was a ‘thrill-seeker’ who opted out of his promising academic career and his conventional middle-class upbringing.

He was the son of company director Michael Cranch, 66, and his wife Pauline, a 62-year-old teacher, and grew up in Onchan on the Isle of Man.

Mr Cranch’s best friend said yesterday that he had set his heart on leading a life of danger.

Sam Waugh, 24, a bookmaker from Douglas, Isle of Man, said he was Mr Cranch’s best friend at Onchan Primary School and St Ninian’s High School.

‘He was clever at school particularly science but he hated the mainstream,’ he said. ‘He opted out. He was not interested in going into the sixth form or going to university.

‘He went through a phase when he had long hair and dreadlocks. He became obsessed with a PlayStation game called Stuntman.

‘When we were young if there was anything dangerous he was there. He would climb highest up the tree. He seemed to love the adrenaline.’

Another schoolfriend, trainee engineer Marc Caulfield, 23, said: ‘He was a thrill-seeker who was always up for a laugh.

‘He was into skateboarding and BMX riding and he would try to do the most daring stunts.’

The tragedy happened at the County Showground in Detling, Kent, on Easter Monday in front of a crowd of spectators.

The safety net that failed to break Mr Cranch’s fall was intended to collapse – but only after it had caught the stuntman.

A description from Scott May’s Daredevil Stunt Show’s website said: ‘The stunt performer climbs the ladder and slides down to the deep dark depths of the gigantic barrel.

‘Once in position they signal to the crew that they are ready and then remain braced for the explosive propulsion to shoot them out into the fresh air. They then have to turn whilst in flight and land in the safety net.

‘Within a few seconds of landing the performer must get down from the safety net before the poles holding the net in position crash to the ground.’

But witnesses said the net collapsed before the impact. Read More