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A PENSIONER is to spend three days BURIED ALIVE in a coffin under the streets of Belfast - but will be live streaming it on Facebook and will talk to friends and family via phone calls and Skype.

John Edwards was locked in a casket and had soil dumped on top of it on Wednesday as he began three days of living underground to raise awareness of those suffering from addiction and depression for the charity Walking Free.

John Edwards was buried alive on Wednesday after kissing goodbye to his wife
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John Edwards was buried alive on Wednesday after kissing goodbye to his wifeCredit: [email protected]
He is going to spend three days underground to raise awareness of suicide and depression
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He is going to spend three days underground to raise awareness of suicide and depressionCredit: Pacemaker Press
He will be live streaming advice to addicts
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He will be live streaming advice to addictsCredit: Pacemaker Press
The committed Christian used to be an addict himself
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The committed Christian used to be an addict himselfCredit: Pacemaker Press
John, who has been clean for a quarter of a century, hopes to help others
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John, who has been clean for a quarter of a century, hopes to help othersCredit: Pacemaker Press

The former addict will have all the mod cons, including broadband internet - allowing him live stream advice to addicts from inside his underground coffin outside Willowfield Parish Church in the east of the city.

He told : "I'm a former addict and I've been clean and sober for 25 years.

"I'm making a very large coffin, I'm burying it in East Belfast and I'm going to live in it for three days."

John is being buried under the streets of Belfast
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John is being buried under the streets of BelfastCredit: Pacemaker Press
He was 'laid to rest' on Ash Wednesday
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He was 'laid to rest' on Ash WednesdayCredit: Pacemaker Press
The coffin is underground outside Willowfield Parish Church
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The coffin is underground outside Willowfield Parish ChurchCredit: Pacemaker Press
He will have all the mod cons with him during his time
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He will have all the mod cons with him during his timeCredit: Pacemaker Press

"I know this is a radical move but people are continually contacting me who are either suicidal or who know friends or family who are," he told Belfast Live .

"My plan is to speak to them from the grave before they get there and show them hope."

The coffin, big enough for John to sit up and lie down in, has been kitted out with electrics and broadband.

He plans to live stream his experience on Facebook Live and on Walking Free's website, and will also take calls, emails, Skype and texts from people around the world.

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The committed Christian has been happily married to wife Trish for 20 years.

Speaking to the website, local rector David McClay added: "John is going into the coffin on Ash Wednesday which marks the start of Lent. The season of Lent is one when Christians talk about dying to ourselves.

"But the message from the grave is one of hope - hope for those who are struggling with addictions, hope for those who feel life is hopeless, and hope of life that is eternal.

John will be making calls, emails and texts
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John will be making calls, emails and textsCredit: [email protected]
He'll also Skype people around the world and live stream his experience on Facebook
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He'll also Skype people around the world and live stream his experience on FacebookCredit: Pacemaker Press
The video will also be streamed on the website of the charity he is raising awareness of
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The video will also be streamed on the website of the charity he is raising awareness ofCredit: Pacemaker Press
John has been sober for 25 years
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John has been sober for 25 yearsCredit: Pacemaker Press
Now his aim is to help others who are suffering with the same affliction
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Now his aim is to help others who are suffering with the same afflictionCredit: Pacemaker Press

"John knows that he is going to be buried on March 1. The rest of us don't know when we will be buried, when our lives will end - but for every Christian there is the confident hope of life forever because of what Jesus has won for us on the cross.

"He did it so that we don't have to pay the price for our sin and guilt. John Edwards demonstrates the amazing transformation that Jesus can bring to our lives. I invite you to join in the live streaming of this event and hear for yourself."

Follow John's experience on Twitter using the hashtag #gravechat or watch his live videos on .

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