Only a shout away

Press, 10 April 1978, Page 1

Only a shout away

John Sheehan, who has now spent three nights and two days perched in a small wooden hut at the top o c a pole at Darfield, has not had much of a chance to feel bored. His pole is right opposite the Darfield Hotel, and this, coupled with the Malvern Show at the week-end, has provided plenty of diversion from his television set. Mr Sheeaan hopes to raise about $3OOO towards the new Malvern Sports and Recreation Centre by staying aloft for more than a week. He has already been guaranteed

more than $lOOO in sponsorships. By mid-day on Saturday his visitors’ book had dozens of signatures and good wishes from passing motorists and some local people had been down to give him moral support. He has done a few early-morning press-ups to keep himself in trim and is looking forward to having an exercycle sent up. The hut' allows him little room to move about in. He is I.Bm tall, and the hut is 1.83 m deep and 2.13 m wide. Mr Sheehan is kept well supplied with food and re-

freshments — hoisted up in a washing basket. His dinner is cooked in the hotel, his lunch is prepared in the local tea rooms, and local people organise his breakfast. Fruit juice and beer supmernented the diet. “Everything that goes up must come back at night,” said one of the organisers tactfully. Mr Sheehan, aged 37, and a power-board foreman, is making the polesitting attempt during his holidays. He is due down on Saturday evening, in time for a local dance.