A man was filmed paragliding off a bonfire towering over 200ft in Larne in Co Antrim on Monday evening.
The daredevil, who leapt from the Craigyhill bonfire - known as the "world's tallest bonfire", successfully deployed his parachute before gliding to the ground under the watchful eyes of onlookers.
This year's edifice is built with 363 pallets and is crowned with a 35-foot beacon at its peak. Last year saw the record-breaking construction reach heights of 210 feet, surpassing their previous achievement in 2022, when the 202-foot pyre surpassed the then world record of 198 feet, set in Austria in 2019.
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At present, builders are hoping for this year's bonfire to reach an unprecedented 220 feet, with measurements still ongoing, reports Belfast Live.
Despite safety reservations, organisers have always asserted that safety tops their list of priorities. In an interview conducted last year with Belfast Live, Craigyhill Bonfire Committee member David said that the architects of these bonfires liaise closely with fire and police services to ensure the event runs without any mishaps.
He said: "Safety has always been our number one priority at the bonfire and all of our builders wear harnesses and hard hats while working and have also taken a bonfire safety course with the fire service. We also have a padlocked security fence in place around the bonfire to make sure that nobody is able to access the site and put themselves at risk.
"We are also using telehandlers and cranes for the taller sections of the bonfires to further ensure the safety of the builders taking part.
"We are fully aware of the risks though and understand that there will always be an element of danger in what we are doing, but it is a risk that we are willing to accept, similar to any dangerous job or hobby, like working on scaffolding or TT road racing."
The bonfire makers at Craigyhill have thrown light on the "unfair negativity" they say they've been the target of.
David went on to state: "While we do get some nasty messages, these are greatly outnumbered by the messages of support that we have received from as far away as New Zealand and it is these messages of encouragement that keep pushing us on because we know that we are reaching people across the world."
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