Daredevils leap from cathedral

Two audacious parachute jumpers leapt from the spire of St. Petersburg's Cathedral of SS Peter and Paul on Sunday 27th November.

However, although the successful jump was apparently filmed and uploaded onto popular website youtube, the authorities have denied that the incident ever took place.

The entrance to the bell-tower is guarded by police, the press service of the State Museum of St Petersburg declared on the institution's official website.

The video that has been uploaded on the Internet is a falsification.

Nevertheless, the footage on youtube does seem somewhat convincing. Indeed, within seconds of the two jumpers landing, security officials appear to arrest the daredevils.

The so-called practice of "base-jumping" involves leaping off relatively low level buildings, and as such most jumps are illegal, and planned in secret.

Sunday's jump has been championed as the first ever leap from the historic cathedral, which was built between 1712 and 1733.

Curious readers can judge for themselves whether the jump was the Real McCoy.

Video of Parachute Jump