Aerial Birdman gave shoppers a unique view of Bognor Regis as they flew through the town centre

The 150m-long zip wire carried people 30m above the London Road precinct in August 2015 and helped put Bognor Regis on the map by raising the profile of the seaside town.

Those brave enough to take part were strapped into a choice of three harnesses and travelled at speeds of up to 30mph, with the Superman-style harness giving them time to 'really let go', stretch out their arms and fly through the town centre.

The thrilling experience was organised by Toyubur Rahman, Bognor's last town centre manager. He wanted the unusual event to provide thrills and fun for all the family, while drawing more people to the shopping centre.

With competition from the internet and out-of-town shopping centres, it was important to provide local residents and visitors with an experience worth having, he said.

Even if you did not want to have a go, you might be attracted by the spectacle of people whizzing along above the ground in a fun and thrilling activity for all the family.

The zip wire was operated by County Durham-based Xtreme Sensations. The boarding gate was by the sun sculpture at the junction of London Road and High Street, and the flight path stretched to Boots at the other end of the precinct.

Scaffolders putting up the platform said you could see the sea from the top of the take off site, giving a unique view of the town. Just under 300 people took the opportunity to see it for themselves.

West Sussex County Council gave permission and Bognor Regis Traders’ Association was fully behind the adventure. Businesses were offered special packages, to enable star members of staff to be given a real treat and with the option of a forfeit for the worst-performing employees.

Firms like Butlin’s, Boots, Costa, Superdrug and Mobility and Comfort all booked slots and Father Christmas, Buzz Lightyear and a Minion were among the birdmen taking part.

Liz Latter said she was petrified, as she had 'a real fear of heights' but her 40th birthday just a couple of weeks before had prompted her to try something new. For her, the worst part was climbing the tower.

Nick Harper was given a ticket as a birthday present and he then treated his 12-year-old son Jake Harper to a go as a surprise. Nick loved the thrill of it, saying he felt like he was flying like a bird, while Jake was nervous but said it was worth it, giving him a real rush once he stepped off the platform.

Mr Rahman said at the time: “The important thing is to get people talking about the town centre and this event seems to have achieved that. It’s all about driving footfall into the shopping area and getting people off their computers.

“I said when I was appointed I wanted people to leave the town centre with a smile on their faces. The Aerial Birdman will certainly achieve that.”

His idea even gained the backing of government minister Mark Francois, minister for communities and resilience at the Department for Communities and Local Government, when he visited on August 20, 2015, to cut the ribbon to launch the Station Square after a revamp.

Many commented on the great atmosphere and positive feeling in the town centre. The birdmen seemed to enjoy the ride and one man even did it three times. The crowd cheered and there were lots of smiling faces, with people appreciating having something different in the shopping centre.

The extent of its popularity was shown by a footfall camera, which had been installed that June to monitor the number of people in the precinct.

Businesses reported bumper sales from the weekend count of 40,277 people, of which 17,915 people were recorded on the Sunday - the highest Sunday count since the camera was installed.

While many hoped it could become an annual event, Mr Rahman said it cost some £13,000, so repeating it could depend on 'how the finances stacked up'.

Aerial Birdman was his biggest idea in his first 16 months in the role and the town ended up as runner-up in the most improved category in the Great British High Street of the Year 2015.

Other successful initiatives included bustling markets and a community-led Clean for the Queen, earning Mr Rahman a Special Recognition award in June 2016.

He had served in the Bognor Regis Town Centre Management Partnership role since May 2014 but it was announced in September 2018 that the post of town centre manager for Bognor Regis would be scrapped by the newly-established Business Improvement District (BID) when his contract came to an end.