Extreme ironing hit the headlines this week after a man was spotted pressing his shirts on the closed stretch of the M1. Enthusiasts say the craze started in 1997 when Leicestershire's Phil Shaw combined his passion for rock climbing and mountaineering with the most mundane of household chores. Here are some examples of ironing at the limits:
▶ Skysurfers Mike Frost and Steve Scott took to the skies over Oxfordshire in 2008, banishing the creases on a snow-board attached to their feet.
▶ In 2009, 86 British divers broke the record for the most people ironing underwater – in freezing winter conditions.
▶ The deepest ironing stunt took place in 2006 - 137m into the depths of the "blue hole" in Dahab, Egypt, known as the "diver's cemetery."
▶ In 2005 ironers scaled the 9,000ft Mt Ruapehu in New Zealand, one of the world's most active volcanoes. Despite the high winds, they still managed to put up the board and get the job done.
