Mr Chick was arrested as soon as he came down

David Chick, 37, of Burgess Hill, West Sussex, was charged with the offence at an east London police station on Wednesday night.

Mr Chick had staged the protest to highlight the plight of fathers who are refused access to their children.

He has been remanded in custody overnight to appear at Thames Magistrates Court on Thursday morning.

Mr Chick was arrested by awaiting officers after he came down from the 100 foot crane near Tower Bridge at 1600 GMT on Wednesday.

Police negotiators had feared for Mr Chick's safety on the crane and made several attempts to talk him down.

Roads surrounding the London landmark were closed for the first five days of the protest amid fears the crane would become unstable in strong winds.

If we can charge David Blaine, we can charge him as well Richard Barnes, deputy chairman of the MPA

On Tuesday night when it became apparent he had brought along plenty of food and water supplies and was not intending to try to commit suicide, Scotland Yard decided to re-open the roads.

Pressure group Fathers 4 Justice said Mr Chick was protesting after being refused the right to see his four-year-old daughter.

It is believed he was awarded a court order to see the child but had been refused access by the child's mother over the last eight months.

Awareness raised

Matt O'Connor, spokesman for Fathers 4 Justice, said although Mr Chick was not a member of the organisation, he had done much to raise the plight of fathers who do not have access to their children.

He said: "Everyone's talking about it in London. MPs were talking about it in Parliament.

"We're pleased we helped to bring the protest to an end."