DAREDEVILS have spent the weekend slipping down a 100-metre waterslide.

The first ever WearSlide event was held at Herrington Country Park, near Sunderland yesterday and today. (Saturday and Sunday, April 25 and 26)

It was organised by promotions firm Sunderland Live after artist Luke Jerram installed a 95metre slide in Bristol’s Park Street last year.

First to try it was eight-year-old Harrison Ray, from Bournmoor, near Chester-le-Street, who said: “It was great. It was really, really fast.”

Tickets went on sale six months ago and quickly sold out.

Jon Mullinger, 38, from Gateshead, said: “We haven’t down anything like this before, so we signed up the second we saw it advertised.”

Twenty RSPCA volunteers took part in a sponsored slide to raise money to help the swan population in Chester-le-Street following a spate of suspected lead poisonings in the area that has caused the death of many birds.

Many others are still being treated.

RSPCA branch fundraising manager Denise Wilson said: “We were raising money to help the swans on the River Wear that have fallen ill.

“It has gone really well and volunteers have all enjoyed themselves and so did the kids.”