Daredevil risks serious injury with motorcycle backflip stunt

Extreme sports rider Travis Pastrana has performed a backflip motorcycle jump over a 23m gap between two barges floating on London's river Thames, 11 years after the last rider who tried the stunt suffered serious injury.

Set against the backdrop of London's O2 arena, Pastrana had only 45 metres to accelerate to take-off speed before jumping today, with only 10 metres to come to a stop before he would have fallen into the river.

The vessels used in the attempt were fitted with a steep ramp for the rider's take-off and a more gently inclined one for him to land on.

In 2006, motocross rider Mike Metzger fractured a vertebrae while attempting to backflip between two barges in a stunt for a television program in Long Beach harbor, Los Angeles.

Organisers of Pastrana's attempt said he was the first person to try to perform the trick since then.

Pastrana is known for competing in the X-Games extreme motocross competition and in the US NASCAR motor racing series. During his career he has broken more than 90 bones and suffered 25 concussions.

Pastrana will be touring with his live stunt show "Nitro Circus" in Europe in November and December.