Netted! Man who fell 5 miles with no chute
Find me another dog like Dolly, Dawn begs fans as she mourns death of pet
COMEDIAN Dawn French made a heartfelt appeal for a new Parson Russell terrier at the weekend after telling fans her beloved dog Dolly had died recently.
Dawn, 58, revealed her sadness at the loss of Dolly as she discussed her latest paperback, According to Yes.
Dawn – who is set to make a new TV series and revive French and Saunders for a special next year – was emotional as she told how she missed Dolly and called on members of the audience to help in her search for a replacement.
Lucky
In the net... daredevil Luke lands safely after his 25,000ft plunge from the skies above California, then begins the family celebrations with his relieved wife Monica and young son Logan, left
Talking at the Port Eliot festival close to her home in Cornwall, Dawn said: “I get up at half past six. My old man, Mark Bignall, goes off to work and I walk my dog.
“I’d like to say I walk my dog but my dog died a few weeks ago. My dog Dolly had been my friend for 15 years.
“I had her for all those years and I was lucky to have her that long. I am looking for a Parson Russell terrier by the way if anyone breeds them.”
The Vicar of Dibley star would shut Dolly out of her office because she was embarrassed to write sex scenes with her in the room.
Asked who her muse was, Dawn replied: “I endeavour every day to make my dog laugh. So I guess it’s her, Dolly. Full name: Dolly the Dog.” LUKE Aikins took a leap of faith to plummet 25,000ft – nearly five miles – from a plane without a parachute.
He successfully landed in a safety net in Simi Valley, California.
He hit the 100ft by 100ft net perfectly, climbed out and walked over to hug his four-year-old son Logan and wife Monica – also a skydiver – who had been watching with other family members.
His record-breaking jump at the weekend lasted two minutes.
Aikins, 42, said: “I’m almost levitating. What’s happened is incredible.”
For the first 10,000ft of the fall, he used an oxygen tank. One of the other skydivers who jumped with him was in charge of collecting the discarded tank.
Another carried a camera and the third trailed smoke so people on the ground could follow his descent. The trio opened their chutes at Aikins alone.
The skydiver has performed more than 18,000 jumps and featured in stunts in the film Iron Man 3.
The stunt was broadcast on live TV and Aikins feared he may have been forced to wear a parachute – even if he was not going to use it – by the Screen Actors Guild.
But just minutes before the jump, broadcast bosses said the requirement had been lifted.
As well as his wife and son, the skydiver’s father, two brothers, and sister watched him jump.
But his mother was not there. “My mom supports me. She doesn’t support this project,” he said. 5,000ft, leaving