A man has fallen to death from a high building in France while practising a Father Christmas routine.

Daily Mail of England reports that the Father Christmas fell while abseiling from the Douai belfry in France.

To abseil means to make a controlled vertical descent from a steep slope using a rope.

The 24-year-old man was training for the role of Father Christmas in a traditional festive event in northern France.

Daily Mail reports that the man “had been hired for the job of Father Christmas at Douai’s annual winter celebration in which the festive character dramatically abseils in from the historic belfry.

“Whilst practising for the all-important showstopper, the trainee Father Christmas fell from the height of 30 metres to his death in front of a small crowd of shocked abseiling club members.

“The man’s descent from the top of the belfry was going well until he reached about one third of the way down, locals said.

“Suddenly he fell some 30 metres (100 feet) in front of about 20 members of the club he was training with. Paramedics were unable to save him and he was declared him dead on the spot.”

The local public safety authorities in the region are currently investigating the cause of the incident, the report said. “They are looking at whether the equipment used for the decent was defective,” according to Daily Mail. “They are also waiting for an autopsy report to see whether the man suffered a fainting spell or sudden sickness that might have led to the fall.”

•Photo shows a Father Christmas.

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