Video: Norwich puppet man shows “new lease of life” after death rumours

Shrugging off the rumours of his death, the Norwich puppet man has been showing off his performance skills today, using his 'new lease of life' to prove that he is very much alive.

Rumours of his death escalated over the internet last night but puppet man, David Perry, was all too happy to show he is fighting fit by performing for the Evening News.

'I was phoned up five times last night,' the 67-year-old said.

'They asked me if I was dead and I said well I'm still talking aren't I? I'm still here.'

The rumour is believed to have began on the social networking site Facebook, after Twitter users traced the source of the rumour to a single individual on Facebook.

His wikipedia entry was also tampered with, which was then publicised on Twitter and Facebook.

The rumour stated that Mr Perry had passed away in Great Yarmouth yesterday after suffering from a heart attack.

But he was back in Norwich today continuing to perform with his puppet Mick Jagger at one of his hot spots on Gentleman's Walk in the city centre.

He said: 'I feel like I am back with new skills and a new lease of life.'

As well as performing in Norwich city centre, he also performs in Great Yarmouth, usually outside McDonald's Restaurant on Regent Boulevard.

Thousands of people around the world have watched his act on the internet, which he started performing in the mid-1980s, but in 1997 was forced to quit after officials stopped his incapacity benefit because he was earning money through busking.

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