Cheggars helps raise profile of Birdman

Cheeky Cheggars visited Butlins early on Tuesday as part of his Keith's Campside Capers summer roadshow series.

The outside broadcast for GMTV was dominated by a make-believe Birdman contest involving holidaymakers and a performance by three clowns who are regular visits to the town's convention.

Keith Chegwin told the Observer: 'The Birdmen are absolutely bonkers. They just hurl themselves off the pier.

'They know there's no way they are going to break the record but they still do it anyway. It's for charity, though, which is really good.

'As for the clowns, they're fantastic. I know the lady mayor (Sylvia Olliver) brought them back to Bognor a few years ago and it's good we have events like that year after year.

'It's nice to see traditions being re-instated and Bognor is taking the lead in that. It's good news for the town.'

One of this year's Birdmen was interviewed live on air for GMTV's millions of viewers.

Paul Fuller travelled from Worthing with his '˜stop me and buy one' ice-cream tricycle with which he will jump off the pier on September 1 and 2.

He is making his first Birdman flight in aid of Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital in London.

'I'm hoping to make the Isle of Wight with my bike,' he explained. 'But I expect I will be lucky to make 50ft.

'I'm taking part for charity and because I'm in a mid-life crisis having just turned 40.'

Among the guests who became Birdmen for the camera by jumping a few feet to the ground was Redhill man Damon Horn.

The 38-year-old Gatwick Airport baggage handler said: 'It felt stupid jumping like that but it was good fun. I was not nervous in front of the camera, though I thought I would be.

'Keith Chegwin is all right. I remember him from Cheggars Plays Pop.'

The three professional clowns who performed for the show to promote next March's convention were Southampton's Clown Bluey, Rainbow from London and Conk the Clown from Birmingham. They were joined by two clowns for the morning, Deano and Sylvio.