Richard Branson Takes a Flying Leap

Branson takes a leap and flies by the seat of his pants... but then rips them

He's had many ups and a few downs in his high-profile career.

Unfortunately for Sir Richard Branson, this daredevil exercise yesterday was definitely in the latter category.

Not only did he lose his dignity, he also sacrificed a portion of his trousers.

The billionaire entrepreneur and serial self-publicist had decided to descend 407ft from the top of the Palms Casino Hotel, Las Vegas, to promote Virgin America, a new airline offering domestic flights in the U.S.

It all started so well. Strapped in a harness and attached to a cable, the 57-year-old tycoon beamed confidently before taking a running jump from the roof.

As he descended rapidly, he pulled airline tickets out of his pocket and scattered them to the ground as part of the bungee-cum-abseiling stunt.

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