TV medium 'buried alive' in Dudley Castle grounds

For seven days Ian Lawman will be "buried alive" six feet under the grounds of Dudley Castle and viewers around the world will be able to watch his feat of endurance.

A bespoke wooden coffin, measuring 6ft 6in long, has been created for him to live in and was lowered into a hole under the courtyard before an audience of 500 last night.

Mr Lawman, a television medium, then crawled inside and nearly two tons of soil were piled on top him.

He will stay in the confined space of the coffin until 9pm next Friday. While he is in his box he will be raising money for Pc David Rathband's Blue Lamp Foundation, which supports emergency services personnel who have been criminally injured at work.

The coffin has been fitted with two breathing pipes which will also allow small 500ml bottles of water to be dropped down to 42-year-old Mr Lawman.

His only food each day will be four capsules which will give him 2,000 calories a day in four doses.

A heart rate monitor is attached to his finger to enable medics to monitor him and there is a mattress for him to lie on but it takes up more than half of the depth of the coffin.

A glass panel enables his face to be viewed and a 24-hour webcam inside the coffin allows viewers to keep up to date with his time under ground. Ian will also be able to chat during his week via his iPad.

Mr Lawman, from Scunthorpe, said he had been preparing by meditating.

The webcam can be viewed via http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ian-Lawman-Buried-Alive/177327655619029