Blaine delays 'demanding' sleepless stunt

David Blaine has pushed back his latest stunt to stay awake for 13 days because it is so physically demanding.

The illusionist has been training for the world record event, which was originally due to take place in New York in May, but he had been forced to push back the challenge until the autumn because his body might not be ready yet.

Blaine told the New York Post: "This one demands a lot out of me. I run 13 miles a week around Central Park's reservoir. I'm down from 230 to 195 pounds in seven weeks. And of course I'm dieting.

"My raw diet has brown rice, no red meat or animal products besides fish. Nothing fits anymore. My wardrobe's a disaster. I'm using belts.

"I need to drop another eight pounds and then stay this way. It's not healthy to go up and down."

Blaine's previous stunts have included him surviving inside a glass box held above the Thames without food or nutrients for 44 days and spending seven days buried under a 3-ton water filled tank.