BITTERLY cold February weather did not deter illusionist Jonathan Royle from tackling a Houdini-like escape in Denby Dale.

And the fact that it was raining hardly mattered.

The escape was from a tank of freezing cold water.

Jonathan was chained, manacled and cuffed around his neck and ankles for the stunt to mark the launch of a Denby Dale company.

About 20 people - all wearing considerably more layers than him - gathered to watch the slender, shivering young man being bound and immersed in the lidded water vat.

Just 38 seconds later he flung back the lid and emerged looking half-drowned and very cold.

Now he is waiting to hear if he has in fact broken a world record.

Afterwards, still shivering, he said: "I would much sooner play Russian roulette for real than do that again.

"It was genuinely dangerous."

In a practice session earlier, he had managed to escape in 43 seconds - when not surrounded by gallons of water.

Jonathan, a TV illusionist, managed to wriggle out of a neck padlock, followed by the handcuffs, ankle cuffs, a chain and a second pair of handcuffs before coming out of the water.

He had intended to jump out of the wheeled bin but was overcome by the freezing temperature of the water and needed to settle himself before being plucked out and cared for by his wife, Karen.

He carried out the escape outside new company Simply Pure Water.

The firm supplies bottled water machines to businesses in Yorkshire and the north west.

Mr Peter Hill, founder and managing director, fastened the various padlocks and chains which Jonathan had seen for the first time only an hour previously.

"I think he did a brilliant job and I am absolutely delighted," he said.

The whole event was recorded by two independent cameras.

An independent witness timed the escape.

Details of the stunt will be sent to the Guinness Book of Records for confirmation.