Al Murray drops from Brighton i360 in memory of his nephew

Al Murray, best known for his pub landlord persona, completed the nerve-shredding drop from the landmark in Brighton on Monday night.

He was accompanied by a brave team of fundraisers who stepped out from the towering pod into thin air in the dark, held up only by two ropes.

Al Murray on his way down from the top of the i360 (Image: Finley's Touch)

Al said: “What a thrill to dangle over the Brighton seafront, the lights of everyone’s favourite party town twinkling beneath me! And even more of a thrill to arrive safely at the bottom. Thanks to everyone who donated.”

The 56-year-old and the group were fundraising for charities Finley’s Touch and another Sussex charity.

• You can donate to the fundraiser here: https://justgiving.com/page/al-and-eleanor-murray-abseil

Finley’s Touch was set up in memory of Al’s nephew Finley Relf, from Haywards Heath.

He loved Brighton beach and was treated at the Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital, his family said.

Finley battled a very rare and aggressive form of childhood leukaemia called juvenile myelomonocytic leukaemia (JMML).

He underwent three stem cell transplants but his parents said despite “amazing” care he could not be cured and died in December 2021. He was eight years old.

Finley Relf on Brighton beach (Image: Finley's Touch)

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The charity in his name was launched on what would have been Finley’s ninth birthday, July 7, 2022, and has since been providing hospital survival bags to help families with a child seriously ill in hospital.

Finley’s Touch also gives grants to families in paediatric oncology units in Sussex, Kent and Surrey.

“As our charity grows we hope to expand the area in which we can help children and their families," a Finley’s Touch spokeswoman said.

Finley's Touch and My University Hospitals Sussex fundraisers at the i360 ahead of their challenge, including Al Murray, centre row, far right (Image: Finley's Touch)

As well as Finley’s Touch, some of the group abseiling were raising money for My University Hospitals Sussex.

It is a charity which raises funds for treatment, care and research which go over and above core NHS funding. Each year, it invests than £2 million into supporting projects from wellbeing spaces and children's bravery presents to breast pumps for new mums and rehabilitation tools.

Together, the charities have already raised well over £10,000 from the drop, with £2,484 and counting from Al’s own fundraiser.