Hi °C | Lo °C THIS is the internet phenomenon of planking -- Irish style.
The worldwide craze has started to gain attention in Ireland, just days after a man died while "planking" in Australia.
The bizarre practice, which involves lying face-down in public, has become an online fad for Facebook and YouTube.
It has now started to gain momentum here with a webpage dedicated to 'Planking Ireland', the Herald can reveal -- albeit on a very small scale.
But experts are warning against it after a young man plunged to his death from a balcony railing in Brisbane.
The phenomenon of planking involves lying face down in a public place -- the stranger the better -- and posting photos on social networking sites.
The "planker" lies expressionless with a straight body, hands by their sides and toes pointing into the ground.
The prank was invented in England where it was originally called the 'Lying-Down Game' but has become a popularity prank across the world, particularly in Australia.
Now, a copycat Facebook page has been started for Irish plankers and already has over 200 fans.
Some Irish users of Twitter have also begun to post pictures of themselves and friends undertaking the challenge.
An Australian rugby league player David 'Wolfman' Williams celebrates scoring by planking, while one of the nation's leading chatshow hosts Kerri-Anne Kennerley opened a show last week by planking on the TV sofa.
In the same week police served a trespass notice on a man caught planking on a squad car.
The Planking Australia Facebook page grew its fan base from under 10,000 to almost 122,000 in just four days.
But now the death of a man has resulted in police warning pranksters that they may be charged with "unauthorised high-risk activity".
Acton Beale (20) fell to his death after positioning himself for a picture on a balcony after a night out drinking.
Police are said to be worried that the fad could spin out of control.
"We don't have any problem with planking itself," said Queensland Police Deputy Commissioner Ross Barnett. "If you want to take a photograph of yourself planking on a park bench two foot off the ground, there are no risks to your health with that.
"But when you start doing it seven storeys up or lying across a railway line, that's what we have a concern about.
"Ultimately, is it worth life in a wheelchair to take a funny photo to impress somebody you don't know?" he asked.
The Australian Prime Minister described Mr Beale's death as "a really tragic thing".
"So, my message would be everybody likes a bit of fun, but focus has to be on keeping yourself safe first," Julia Gillard said.
kdoyle@herald.ie
