Video: Extreme unicycling on Edinburgh’s streets

A TEAM of extreme unicyclists have created a “28 Days Later” style video showcasing their talents around the deserted streets of Scotland’s capital.

Extreme unicycling in Edinburgh.

The foursome, known as Voodoo Unicyclists, stumbled upon the idea after their initial appointment - the reason for them being in Edinburgh - was cancelled at the last minute.

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Extreme unicycling in Edinburgh.

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Otherwise known as Team Voodoo, the group travel the UK putting on displays and shows.

They decided to make use of their time and the stunning backdrop of historic Edinburgh to make this awe-inspiring video.

“It all came together by necessity,” revealed team leader and professional extreme unicyclist Jason Auld.

“We all went up for another project which fell through. So we all found ourselves in Edinburgh needing to do something.

“So we sat around a table and came up with some ideas and every idea we had just wasn’t any good.

“So then Tim - his company Beard Askew Productions filmed it – said ‘it’s the longest day coming up, why don’t we do a 28 Days Later style video, where the streets are deserted?’”

“Now we thought it was a terrible idea as we hated the thought of getting up at 3 or 4am, but we had nothing else.

“Then as it came together we realised it was a novel idea. It’s often in urban sports that you’re kicked off spots or people get in the way, so it was good to just be unleashed on the city.

“There was no one about, it was just us.”

Auld, 26, is originally from Edinburgh and has been a skilled unicyclist for the last 12 years.

Five years after receiving one as a birthday gift, he decided it was a hobby he wanted to turn into full-time employment.

He said: “It’s been my only job for seven years now. The other guys do stuff on the side, but for me this is it.

“One day I walked out of a job and said to myself ‘I’m never doing a “normal job” again’ and thankfully I haven’t.

“It’s not the most lucrative of careers, though we make money by doing displays and putting on shows. We’ve done sports events, health and fitness, music festivals.

“We even entertained the London 2012 athletes at the Athletes Village. That was pretty cool.”

In addition to Auld the other unicyclists in the video are Simon Berry, Mike Taylor and Rob Terry.

• More information can be found at voodoounicycles.com and other videos can be watched on their official YouTube channel.

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