Spider topples 'chimney-climb spiderman'

A daredevil arborist scaled Auckland's landmark Victoria Park chimney in the middle of the night and returned to ground without injuring himself - only to be almost wiped out by a spider the next day.

Jono Smith, 27, and his business partner Zane Wedding, 28, shimmied up the 38m tall landmark using steel bracing as footholes.

"Normally we are over the other side of the road climbing the big trees in the park. Then we thought, 'Hey, why not try the chimney'," Smith said.

"Some of the steel was a bit busted. But because we're arborists we know all about climbing; you've got to adapt to the situation and solve the problem.

"It's about using your head."

The climb took over an hour and the pair celebrated by letting off flares at the top.

But on Wednesday Smith needed hospital attention after being bitten by a huntsman spider while pruning a kauri. His leg became infected and he has needed to spend half an hour each day connected to an antibiotic drip.

Smith hopes to recover in time to follow through with plans to climb an active volcano in Vanuatu next week.

Victoria Park Market's owners could not be contacted for comment last night.

Meanwhile, a 19-year-old Tauranga man who jumps off buildings for a hobby fell off a two-storey balcony in Tauranga's central business district on Thursday night.

Cruise Turner had been drinking with friends at an upstairs flat in Wharf St about 11.15pm when he fell 5m, hitting a rubbish skip before landing on a concrete path. His only injury was a broken arm.

Turner does parkour, a hobby involving jumping from buildings.

A friend, Aaron Simon, said Turner was not doing stunts at the time but the skills may have helped him land without being seriously injured.