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HEIGHT OF STUPIDITY

What is rooftopping, is it illegal and what happened to Wu Yongning and Harry Gallagher?

Those involved risk death in the pursuit of the perfect photo - but are they breaking the law?

ROOFTOPPING is a death-defying craze which sees young adults dangling off the edge of buildings - in the quest of social media fame.

None of the posers wear harnesses, which means a small slip would see them plunge to their deaths, but is it illegal? Here's what you need to know...

 Rooftopping is a death-defying craze where people hang off the edge of skyscrapers
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Rooftopping is a death-defying craze where people hang off the edge of skyscrapersCredit: Central European News
 Russian model Viktoria Odintsova went viral for her urban exploration shots in Dubai
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Russian model Viktoria Odintsova went viral for her urban exploration shots in Dubai

What is rooftopping?

Rooftopping is a dangerous craze which sees people hang off the edge of some of the world's highest skyscrapers.

The aim is to take a jaw-dropping photo, film tricks and gymnastic stunts, and ultimately find viral fame.

It has cult following thanks to the success of YouTube channels and Instagram accounts dedicated to the shocking shots.

Stunning Russian model Viktoria Odintsova famously posed hanging off the side of the 1,004 ft tall Cayan Tower in Dubai - in a bid to boost her profile.

But there are been several high profile deaths from the craze, with some cases seeing teens plunging several stories to their untimely deaths.

Some of the social media stars take to well-known skyscrapers - while others scope out abandoned man-made structures, which is known as urban exploration.

 Harry Gallagher, known as Night Scape, scaled to the top of One Canada Square - the highest building in Canary Wharf
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Harry Gallagher, known as Night Scape, scaled to the top of One Canada Square - the highest building in Canary WharfCredit: YouTube

Is rooftopping illegal?

With the popularity of rooftopping growing, the police have been forced to get involved.

In most cases, rooftopping will involve trespassing, but this is a civil rather than a criminal matter.

This means those responsible would most likely be sued, rather than prosecuted by the police.

Trespassing in some areas - e.g. on the railways, underground stations and MoD land - is a criminal offence.

There is no specific law against rooftopping - although someone could be charged with criminal damage, theft or other offences, depending on the circumstances.

Four teens, from Suffolk, were prosecuted under the  after scaling buildings in Lowestoft.

Matthew Adams, Daniel Batchelor, Javier Centeno-Gomez and a 17-year-old were all fined £100 and banned from climbing man-made buildings for two years.

 The moment Wu Yongning supposedly plunged to his death has been posted on YouTube - where it has millions of views
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The moment Wu Yongning supposedly plunged to his death has been posted on YouTube - where it has millions of viewsCredit: AsiaWire

What happened to Wu Yongning?

Wu Yongning claimed to be 'China's first rooftopper'.

He plunged to his death in November 2017 - at the age of 26 - and the horror fall was caught on camera.

A video reportedly showing the moment he died, after performing a stunt atop the 62-storey Huayuan International Centre in Changsha, has racked up more than 15 million views on YouTube.

His girlfriend and family members finally confirmed Wu's death on December 8 - after much speculation from his fans, who noticed that he hadn't published any new material since November 8.

 East Londoner Harry became famous after climbing to the top of the iconic Wembley Stadium arch
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East Londoner Harry became famous after climbing to the top of the iconic Wembley Stadium archCredit: Rex Features

Who is Harry Gallagher?

Harry Gallagher goes by the name Night Scape on YouTube - where he has more than 777,000 subscribers.

He's from Barkingside, East London, and is best known for scaling Wembley Stadium's iconic arch and Canary Wharf's highest skyscraper, One Canada Square.

Harry has been freerunning since he was 11.

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