Dramatic video and gallery: Action girl tightrope walks 125ft above Sheffield city centre

The stunt, featuring Sheffield-born world record holder Sarah Rixham traversing a 60m highwire between two Sheffield Hallam University towers, was held to mark the city’s first Outdoor Weekend - a landmark in its bid to rebrand the Steel City as The Outdoor City.

Building on successful cycling events held since 2014’s Grand Depart raced through Sheffield, the city will host a cycle race, climbing festival, orienteering, a fell race and adventure film festival among the events this weekend.

Much of the reasoning behind the rebrand came from research that showed outdoor activities contributed £53m a year to the city’s economy, and Sheffield Council’s deputy leader Leigh Bramall said by showcasing exactly what the city and the neighbouring countryside had to offer, it hoped to increase inward investment, the tourism pound and encourage highly skilled workers to move to Sheffield - particularly those in the advanced manufacturing, creative and digital industries.

While it’s also about increasing participation in outdoor activities and sport for existing Sheffield residents - attracting growth is key.

He told The Yorkshire Post: “This weekend very much builds on what we have already got going on, but bringing them together in one weekend rather than spreading them throughout the year to attract more people to the city.

“The outdoor lifestyle appeals to a significant proportion of people in these highly skilled industries. Attracting more of them to the city will in turn create more jobs for everyone.

“It’s also about changing some of the out-dated perceptions of the city and raising its profile.

While admitting the city remains “strapped for cash”, Coun Bramall said the council had been able to achieve “an awful lot with very little money” with the Outdoor City Weekender, with just nominal fees associated with road closures, and should this first weekender be a success, “one, two, or even three” similar events could follow later in the year.

“There’s an awful lot of work to do to look at how we can create new facilities, new events and new partnerships to develop this even further,” he added.

But back to the highline. Coun Bramall said the stunt left commuters “gawping” and was the “perfect example” of how extreme outdoor pursuits could be worked into the city centre.

That’s exactly what Sheffield Adventure Film Festival (ShaFF)will be doing too, bringing the “wild outdoors” to the screens of the Showroom Cinema until Sunday. Other headline events include the Magnificent Seven part sportive, part hill climb race across Sheffield’s notorious seven hills, and the Climbing Works International Festival (CWIF), which gives amateur and professional climbers the chance to compete side by side.

There are also runs, fell races, a schools orienteering competition, guided walks, a mountain bike course and other events.

ShaFF Director Matt Heason said: “We are incredibly excited to act as the hub for everyone taking part in the weekend’s activities, so whether you’re climbing at the CWIF or scaling the hills of the Magnificent Seven challenge, ShAFF welcomes you to kick back with a pint and a film to watch the best outdoor films from around the world.”

For more information on the weekend’s events visit www.theoutdoorcity.co.uk