Priest hole challenge causes panic attack

Phil Downing took on the challenge to raise money for Harvington Hall

The manager of an Elizabethan manor house in Worcestershire, who spent 48 hours in one of its priest holes, said he suffered a panic attack when he finally emerged.

Phil Downing had challenged himself to spend two days in the small hiding space at Harvington Hall to raise money for the building, and successfully completed the task at 18:30 BST on Tuesday.

"I had a bit of a panic attack when I came out. I really wasn't okay and I wasn't expecting to have a panic attack," he said.

"I was expecting to be okay but it's the shock of seeing everyone's faces, the fresh air hitting you - it really does shock you."

Priest holes were created in houses to hide Catholic priests through times of religious persecution during the reigns of Queen Elizabeth I and James I.

Harvington Hall has seven of them in total, including a swinging beam hide and bread oven hide.

Discussing his experience, Mr Downing said: "It's extremely difficult. I only had one apple while I was in there and a few slices of bread.

"The thing is, it's so dark in there and it's so dirty you don't actually want to eat anything, you just want to drink."

Priest holes were used to hide Catholic priests during times of religious persecution

Mr Downing said he had not expected it to be "so hot" despite only being dressed in a night shirt.

He added: "There's no natural light whatsoever.

"There's a viewing window which we black out, the light bulbs are taken out and the beam, it isn't flush to the wall, but what we do is put a black cloth material all the way around it so it completely seals it in.

"It's completely pitch black."

Detailing his health after the challenge, Mr Downing said he was suffering from a sore shoulder and arm, as well as a "seriously bruised" coccyx bone.