Police have used video of a man almost falling from a roof after jumping from one house to another to highlight the dangers of parkour or free running.
The video shows the man leaping over an alley from the ridge of a house in Darlington to the pitched roof of a neighbouring property. He lands to the sound of the clatter of tiles and laughing onlookers.
Bussey and Armstrong, the developers of the new estate in the north-west of the town, said no one was hurt in the incident, which happened several weeks ago and resulted in several damaged tiles. It was reported to the police in Darlington, who shared footage of the incident on their Facebook page.
“We’re sure you can see how easily this might have ended in tragedy,” officers warned in a post about the “alarming footage”. It added: “Young people so often think they’re invincible and don’t think through the potential consequences of their actions. Please talk about this video to your friends and family. Please keep safe.”
Parkour involves navigating urban spaces by climbing, jumping, balancing and running through buildings. Experts warn that those taking up the craze are risking their lives for social media glory.
This week Horsham council in Sussex banned parkour under a public spaces protection order.
