Jumping out of a plane may not be everyone’s idea of fun but, as Claire Spencer learnt, if nothing else it certainly captures people’s attention.

For Mrs Spencer, who leapt from a height of 13,000ft as part of a tandem skydive, facing her fears of jumping into the abyss also sparked people’s generosity as it helped her raise more than £1,000 for charity.

The 51-year-old took part in the Prostate Cancer Charity’s mass fundraising skydive in Oxfordshire earlier this month to raise awareness about the cancer after having lost her own father to the disease last year.

Mrs Spencer, of Ranelagh Avenue, Barnes, said: “My father – along with 9,999 others - died last year of prostate cancer.

"He was lucky, he had had a good innings but his death was still premature.

"I wish he could have seen me take a leap for mankind, but then if he had I wouldn’t have jumped.”

For more information about doing a charity skydive visit prostate-cancer.org.uk or to sponsor Mrs Spencer go to justgiving.com/Claire-Spencer1.