A MAN died after jumping from a 460ft electricity pylon while apparently taking part in a highly dangerous extreme sport.

A frantic 999 call from the man’s friends said he had plunged to his death. But the men were unable to identify where they were and could give just scant details to the emergency services.

Police and paramedics spent half an hour trying to trace the Swanscombe site at 12.40am Sunday.

Horrified crews finally arrived at Greenhithe Marshes to discover the shattered body of 25-year-old Paul Smith-Crallan, of Bowyer Crescent, Wokingham, Berkshire. His parachute failed to open as he leapt from the pylon as part of a thrill-seeking night-time "base" jump.

The gigantic 275,000 volt electricity pylon, easily visible across North Kent, is one of the tallest in the country – only fractionally smaller than the Dartford Crossing – and features on websites promoting the adrenalin-charged sport.

Base jumpers are thought to carry out leaps under the cover of darkness to prevent being caught by the authorities.

Police are not treating the death as suspicious although inquires are ongoing and a post mortem was due to be carried out this week.

Spokesman Chris Mostyn from the National Grid said it was not aware of base jumpers targeting its property and security measures were already in place to stop people easily climbing on the pylons. Climbers also risk death from electrocution.

Base jumping, which stands for Building, Aerial, Span, Earth, is an extreme sport popular with adrenalin junkies.

* SPECIAL REPORT ON BASE JUMPING IN THIS WEEK'S GRAVESEND MESSENGER.