Fundraiser Claire leaps into action for brother

11:50am Saturday 6th September 2008

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Claire Russell took a leap into thin air to raise cash for her disabled brother and his wheelchair user friend.

The 25-year-old, who was brought up in Cross Hills, took up the challenge of a sky dive above Blackpool and raised £713 to go towards funding a sensory garden at the shared home in Gargrave of her brother, Matthew, 23, and Joanne Pemberton, who have a flat each in the building.

Claire, a teacher, who took the 14,000ft leap in tandem with a skydiver, said: “I wish I hadn’t looked down ... scary!

“We shuffled towards the edge of the plane door, dangled our feet out and rolled forward, if a little reluctantly, into the sky.

“It was terrifying. The freefall lasted for about 45 seconds and we reached a speed of 129mph. Blackpool Tower and Morecambe Bay were visible after falling through the clouds, then the canopy opened and we spun gently down to the ground. Thanks again to everyone who sponsored me — I had a wicked time.”

Family friend Tim Walshaw drove a 60-year-old tractor 250 miles from St Bees, in Cumbria, to Robin Hood’s Bay, in North Yorkshire, to raise about £2,000.

“The British summer weather not only made the trip across from St Bees a far more difficult drive but has seriously reduced the expected revenue for the event,” said Tim.

The journey took six days at between five and seven hours behind the wheel to cover the 40-mile daily target.