The magician is freed from the ice by supporters after more than two days

Blaine wore a hat, light shirt, trousers and boots inside in the six-ton block of ice in a TV studio close to Times Square in New York.

The ordeal reportedly earned the magician $1m (�700,000).

Blaine was sealed within two blocks of ice with a body-shaped cocoon cut into the centre.

He had a tube from which to breathe and drink water.

The hardest part of this trick is being in there and looking good without a shirt on

Penn Jillette

A medical team monitored him for any signs of hypothermia, frostbite or blood clots.

Before he was released his medical adviser Dr Ronald Ruden said: "If he comes out of this with 10 fingers and 10 toes, I'll be a very happy doctor."

The stunt was the focus of an hour-long American TV special, David Blaine: Frozen in Time.

The spectacle was also shown live on the internet.

Thousands of people came to watch Blaine endure the icy tomb.

"This would be the last thing I would ever do, but it's quite a thing to watch. This guy's amazing," said Rafael Garcia, of New York.

The ordeal was filmed for an American TV network magic show

But the stunt cut no ice with Blaine's fellow professional magicians.

"Pumping hot air into a phone booth and putting ice around it, and standing around without a thought in your head isn't a trick," said Penn Jillette, one half of the comedy magic act, Penn and Teller.

He added: "The hardest part of this trick is being in there and looking good without a shirt on."

A spokesman for illusionist David Copperfield said: "If you look at the physics of it, it's warmer than a down-filled sleeping bag in there."