David Blaine does a Benito Mussolini

Shameless publicity strumpet David Blaine has kicked off his latest death-defying stunt in New York - hanging upside-down above Wollmann ice rink, where he intends to remain for 60 hours surviving through "sheer willpower" and the occasional drink sucked through a straw.

Blaine is currently suspended from a four-storey high metal frame, the BBC reports, although he can be lowered if required to chew the fat with adoring fans gathered to witness the spectacle. He's also able to free one leg in order to use its counterweight to raise his head into a horizontal position - just as well since he admitted his bonce felt like it was "about to explode".

The illusionist described the challenge as "the most difficult for sure" of all his high-profile escapades. These have, of course, included, "72 hours encased in ice, seven days underwater and 44 days without food in a glass box".

Oh yes, in case you're wondering, Blaine will empty his bladder via a catheter. ®