QUIRKY WORLD ... Luke, no chute: Skydiver nets a record with landing

USA: A 42-year-old skydiver with more than 18,000 jumps has made history by becoming the first person to leap without a parachute and land in a net instead.

After a two-minute freefall, Luke Aikins landed dead centre in the 25m by 225m net at the Sky movie ranch on the outskirts of Simi Valley, California.

As cheers erupted, Aikins quickly climbed out, walked over and hugged his wife Monica, who had been watching from the ground with their four-year-old son Logan and other family members. “I’m almost levitating, it’s incredible,” the jubilant skydiver said, raising his hands over his head as his wife held Logan, who dozed in her arms.