DAVID BLAINE, the American illusionist, came under attack from egg throwers and an off-target golfer as he began an attempt to survive in a transparent box with no food for 44 days.

Less than half an hour after the challenge began on Friday night some people pelted eggs at the box, which is suspended 25ft in the air by a crane near Tower Bridge in London.

Several scored direct hits, prompting cheers and laughter from the crowd. Blaine turned away disdainfully as yolk dripped down the side of his new home.

Later a man was seen on the bridge with a four iron. He whacked more than a dozen golf balls in Blaine??s direction ?? 60 yards away ?? but missed every time. ??His aiming was tragic,?? said one of the site technicians.

Traffic came to a standstill on nearby roads as drivers slowed down to catch a glimpse of the Perspex cell, 7ft high and 3ft wide, dangling from the crane.

It proved to be an eventful first night for the man who has been dubbed the ??Hip Houdini?? in a tribute to the grandfather of escapology.

Technicians were hoisted on the platform of a hydraulic crane in the morning to wipe off the yolk from the glass panes of the box.

The unexpected attacks have raised the prospect of further trouble from hooligans who want to spoil the show. But a Blaine spokesman said: ??Following the events of last night, we will be significantly increasing security.??

A further complication emerged as temperatures inside the box began to soar, prompting Blaine to shade himself as best he could from the sun by hanging up a shawl. The high temperatures could force him to abandon his bid.

It was an inauspicious start to his controversial feat of human endurance, as the first moments were watched on satellite television by millions around the world. Blaine??s girlfriend Manon von Gerkan, a German model, remained at the site for most of the night, filming his first few hours with a digital camera. ??I??m feeling a bit nervous about this,?? she said.

Blaine spent most of his time lying down on a foam mat, twisting and turning, performing the occasional yoga exercise and sitting up with his hands propped against his head ?? probably wondering what he has got himself into.

A constant stream of puzzled onlookers came throughout the day to catch a glimpse of him.

Blaine has one set of clothes, some blankets, a mat to lie on and a backpack containing a journal, a photograph of his late mother, pens, lip balm and other toiletries.

Despite reports from doubters about the purity of the water that Blaine will be drinking, a reporter who tasted it said that it appeared to be unadulterated. Blaine is expected to drink up to seven litres of water a day which will be fed to his box through a tube.

Blaine has prepared for his ordeal by padding out his stomach with a high carbohydrate diet of pasta and peanut butter and jam sandwiches. He has put on 15lb in three weeks.

The 30-year-old is expecting to lose up to 35lb, which doctors warn could lead to health complications, including tremors and visual impairment.

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