Just days after it was officially opened, base jumpers have plunged off the 828m tall Burj Khalifa tower.

Daredevils Nasr Al Niyadi and Omar Al Hegelan were given special permission to jump from the giant Dubai building.

The pair - members of the Emirates Aviation Society who have completed thousands of base jumps between them - reached speeds of 136mph as they hurtled towards the ground.

Setting the world record for the highest jump from a man-made structure, they free-fell for ten seconds before pulling their parachutes.

The entire descent took just one and half minutes… though we think we would rather take the lift.

A daredevil driver has set a new world record distance for jumping in a rally car, reaching a massive 269 feet.

Travis Pastrana drove flew his Subaru rally car from a ramp on a pier in Long Beach, California onto a a barge anchored in the harbour.

He had to reach exactly 91mph at the end of the ramp to make the jump which looked near perfect as he landed at the other side skidding his car sideways.

But completing the jump and missing the water didn't mean that Travis stayed dry… he celebrated by doing a backflip into the harbour.

Think you've set yourself a hard new years resolution? Then spare a thought for Martin Parnell, he plans to run 250 marathons in the next 12 months.

The 54-year-old from Canada hopes to raise $250,000 for charity with his marathon effort -- running a total of 6,550 miles.

That works out to five marathons per week and Martin won't be celebrating the new decade too hard, his runs start on the morning of January 1.

While most of the 250 marathons will be run on the Cochrane Foothills Marathon course in Cochrane, Alberta, Martin will also compete in several official events.

We dread to think how many pairs of trainers he will get through during the year, but given how long he will be wearing them we hope he leaves them outside.

New F1 boss Sir Richard Branson could soon be donning an air stewardess uniform and serving coffee on a rival airline, after placing a odd Formula One bet.

Branson has made a wager with rival F1 boss Tony Fernandes that his Virgin Racing team will do better than Lotus F1 next season.

If they do Tony will have to work for a day as a stewardess with Virgin Atlantic Airways - complete with unflattering uniform. But if Lotus F1 do better Branson will do the same on AirAsia.

AirAsia CEO Fernandes - who released this cheeky picture - said of the bet: "Our passengers will be delighted to be served by a Knight of the Realm."

Either way I think we can all agree the biggest losers will be the passengers on whichever flight gets the cross-dressing stewardess.

Boffins claim they have worked out why some footballers are better at taking penalties, and it's all about anxiety and eye position.

Researchers say that footballers like Frank Lampard and Peter Crouch naturally feel anxious when taking part in a penalty shootout, and that this controls their behaviour.

Anxiety causes a player's eye gaze to focus on the centrally positioned goalkeeper - which in turn impacts they motor control and kick.

The team from the University of Exeter say that this means a shot is more likely to end up at the centre of the goal, making it more easier for the goalkeeper to save.

In that case Chris Waddle (are we showing out age here?) must have a lazy eye.

Formula One legend Murray Walker was in pole position today, after being voted the greatest sports commentator of all time.



Walker, who has been broadcasting since 1948 and spent much of his career at the BBC, took the chequered flag with ease in a survey of 8,879 people.



He beat BBC Sports' voice of football John Motson into second place with world tennis ace John McEnroe coming in third.



Famous for his boyish enthusiasm and authoritative voice, Walker began his Formula 1 commentating in the 1970's and continued until his retirement in 2001.


To be honest he is probably better know for his gaffes and Murrayisms like, 'With half the race gone, there's half the race still to go' and 'here comes Damon Hill in the Williams. This car is absolutely unique - except for the one following it, which is identical'.


Former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan is hoping to knock art critics for six after switching the crease for the canvas.

The 35-year-old batsman has currently got an exhibition of his abstract works on show at a Cardiff art gallery.

Vaughan creates the Jackson Pollock-esque images with a technique he dubbed "artballing" - where he paints cricket balls with a symbolic colour and then bats it against a blank canvas.

He says he has been pleased with the results from his 100mph creative process in a Yorkshire warehouse… dnd who is going to argue with a artist waving a cricket bat.    

The average dog owner gets more exercise from walking their pooch than a gym-goer, it has been claimed.


Researchers found animal lovers exercise their pet twice a day for 24 minutes each time - a total of five hours and 38 minutes a week.



On top of that, the average dog owner also takes their pet out on three long walks each week adding another two hours and 33 minutes to the total.



But in comparison, a study of 5,000 people found those without a dog spend an average of just one hour and 20 minutes per week exercising by going to the gym or heading out for a stroll or jog.

And almost half (47 per cent) of non-pet owners admit they do absolutely no exercise whatsoever -- though those with a tortoise didn't fare much better.

Daredevil inventor and pilot Yves Rossy has crashed into the ocean after trying to fly from Africa to Europe with a winged 150mph jetpack.

It is thought a malfunction with his jet wing caused Rossy - dubbed Rocket Man - to crash land in the Straits of Gibraltar shortly after his launch.

Rossy had leapt from a plane at 6,500ft before extending his eight-foot carbon fibre wings and engaging his four-cylinder jet pack.

This should have propelled him to 150mph for the 15 minute journey which would have landed him a place in the record books as the first person to make a intercontinental crossing using Jet-powered wings.

But after about 8 minutes, cameras lost contact with him and the next thing anyone knew was that he had parachuted into the ocean.

Manchester United's home Old Trafford has been voted the most welcoming football stadium in Britain.
 
Also known as the 'Theatre of Dreams' Old Trafford topped a poll of 3,000 footy fans - who were asked where they felt the most welcomed as opposition.
 
It was hailed for its friendly fans, staff, comfortable seats and good food.
 
Arsenal's Emirates Stadium was second and Liverpool's Anfield ground was third. Chelsea's Stamford Bridge was fourth and St. James's Park, Newcastle was fifth.

Other grounds to make the top ten included Aston Villa's Villa Park, Spurs' White Hart Lane and Craven Cottage in Fulham.