Another 'anyone identify this bike' - from an old book?

[Hermit]

I was looking through a book recently for something else and came across this pic, at first glance a thought it was an old e-stay bike but then noticed the rear triangle is normal but the downtube is raised and meets the seatube halfway down, and that top tube looks a very small diameter - weird, bet that flexes a lot too?

Anyone know what this is, just intrigued and I know there's a mind full of useless infomation on here .... ?

 

[Lid]

Are the wheels different sizes?
Is the guy six foot five?

 

[Hermit]

The front wheel does look a little odd, but looks more like a smaller slick so I think just appears to be smaller?

I think he could be 7 foot plus ... but that's exactly as in the book, I've not photoshopped it, 1988 UK published book - Mountain Biking Handbook, Barry Ricketts - so could be a mid 80's bike?

anyone, someone must have seen one of these or even owned one, what is it?

:?