Grandad’s raised over $300k for charity by balancing heavy objects on his HEAD

By Bradley Stokes via SWNS

A nutty grandad who has raised $330,000 for charity by balancing heavy objects such as cars on his HEAD has vowed to break 100 world records by his 75th birthday.

Strongman John Evans, 74, has raised more than a quarter of a million dollars for good causes over 40 years with his bizarre act as a professional head balancer.

The dad-of-two holds 98 world records for carrying a variety of objects on his bonce, including his heaviest feat of lifting 101 house bricks weighing 420 pounds (190kg).

The OAP has also incredibly balanced a 365lbs Mini Cooper car and a ladder which had two women sitting on bikes at either end.

For other stunts, he has managed to support 225 pints of beer, 380 toilet rolls, 96 empty milk crates and 400 cans of 7 Up pop.

John says he has no plans to retire yet but had stuck his neck out to say he will achieve 100 world records by the time he is 75 next March.

Over the years, his death-defying act has been featured on Britain's Got Talent, Children in Need and the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

But he says the landmark achievement will be to break 100 world records - which he jokes would be a "weight off his mind."

(John Evans via SWNS)

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Grandfather-of-three John, of Ilkeston, England, said: "I have 98 world records now, and I am hoping for 100 next year.

"I've never failed at anything I've said I'm going to do which is lucky really as one slip and these items would crumble and probably kill me.

"These are things nobody else can do.

"I never get sick of doing this as one minute I'm driving a car and another I'm balancing one.

"When I'm balancing, it feels like nothing is there. It's like heaven and all you can hear is the applause from the crowd.

"For my 100th, I am going to balance a 5ft by 5ft crown on my head painted red and gold.

“I still need to make this; it is going to be made out of alloy so could end up being a total of 70kg.

"I have 50 Guinness World Records and 48 with the Record Holders Republic - so 98 in total.

"It will be a real showcase and a fitting round-up of my 40-year career."

The 280-pound former builder, who has a 24-inch neck, first realised he had a talent for balancing heavy objects in the 1960s when he was working as a labourer.

John devised an 18-inch piece of floorboard so he could carry 24 bricks and balance them on his head - whilst climbing up ladders.

After realising he had competition from former World's Strongest Man Geoff Capes - who had managed also to lift 24 bricks - John went on to lift a mammoth 36 bricks.

His astonishing feat soon attracted media attention from the UK and around the world and he still remains a TV host for the German Guinness World Records programme.

He added: "I have had an amazing career so far, all this from just carrying bricks when I was a bricklayer's labourer when I was 18.

"My neighbours thought I was weird at first but I'm renowned for it now all over the world.

"I used to run up ladders and everything, with them all on my head. I soon realised that people had started to get interested in what I was doing.

"I was being asked by local charities to raise money - I started with fridge freezers and washing machines on my head.

"But then came my first Guinness World Record - balancing 84 milk crates on my head.

"In 1993, I got asked to appear in Fantastic Facts programme which was hosted by Jonathan Ross. This was the first time I balanced Mini Cooper on my head.

"From that, it has taken me all over the world: Hollywood, Germany, Asia - I even appeared on Jay Leno's Tonight Show.

"It was one of the most-watched chat shows in the world and it was their 40th anniversary.

"I balanced the original host, Steve Allen, on my head. That was a proud moment.

"Another Hollywood trip was beer kegs; I don't know how I did that. I had 11 beers kegs on me - 23 stone for nine-and-half seconds. That was a career highlight for me.

"I was also the first person ever to make a World Record in Singapore, that was 300 cans of Coca-Cola.

"It has been an amazing journey and it's not over yet."

Despite being blind in one eye, a diabetic and suffering from angina, John is still breaking records after four decades.

In October he lifted 16 shopping trollies containing 140 pounds of groceries 16 times to raise money for a homeless charity.

John balances the items on his head using a piece of board and a forklift truck which lifts it into place.

Then he stands underneath it until he has the perfect balance and then lifts it off the prongs of the forklift.

John's most daring and famous challenge was balancing a 365lbs Mini Cooper on his head for 33 seconds during a successful World Record attempt in 2000.

He says he sometimes doesn't feel the pressure on his neck because the adrenaline takes over.

John added: "The muscles in the back of my neck are massive. They are really strong.

"Once I did a Guinness TV show, again another Mini Cooper for 33 seconds.

"Ian Wright was the TV host; he was concerned about me. I have to have enough energy to walk back and put the car back on the stand.

"You don't feel it. Another event was the National Lottery Draw, I was given two days' notice, this time it was 101 bricks - nearly 30 stone.

"I must admit that flawed me for two days after. My neck and back were in so much pain after.

"I've done 225 pints of beer without spilling a drop as well.

"I feel the strain and sometimes my body aches afterwards, but I don't do any weightlifting in preparation.

"I just seem to have this weird talent for balancing heavy things on my head and I've got the will and determination to keep doing it."

A selection of objects Jonh has lifted over the years.

95 milk crates while in Ireland

101 house bricks (nearly 420 pounds) while on the BBC National Lottery

One 'heavy Chevy' car for the BBC Children in Need show

One Mini Cooper car on the Fantastic Facts TV show

225 pints of beer for BBC Children in Need

400 cans of Coke in Singapore

11 beer kegs while in Hollywood

548 footballs in Leeds

275 pints in Israel

70kg washing machine for 23 minutes and 7 seconds in Birmingham

362lb Quad bike in Tel Aviv

400 Dim Sum baskets in Hong Kong

2 Bunk Beds over 12ft tall for BBC Children in Need

300 loaves of bread weighing 378lbs in Derby

12 two-meter long tables in South Korea

16 shopping trollies weighing in at 10 stone each in Nottingham

62 copies of the Guinness World Record Books in Sheffield