Burnley Cell Escape

By Eddie Dawes

18th May 1984

Eighty two years after Houdini had amazed people of Burnley by escaping from a cell at the county Police station, David De-val repeated the feat from a cell beneath Burnley Town Hall. These cells had been built in 1886 to hold textile rioters and remained in use until 1958. David changed into a track suit, he was medically examined and handcuffed behind his back before being incarcerated in the windowless cell which possessed an iron reinforced wooden door and triple lock. David emerged within ten minutes and, to the amazement of all he had changed back from his track suit in to street clothes but still his hands were handcuffed behind him.