IF you've ever felt the urge to leap out of a plane, the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust wants to hear from you.

The trust offers adventurous individuals the chance to make a sponsored parachute jump or tandem skydive, with proceeds going towards leukaemia research.

The tandem skydive involves jumping from 10,000 feet attached to a professional instructor, for which you must raise at least £325.

The simple parachute jump is performed solo from 3,000 feet. This requires sponsorship of at least £255.

No experience is necessary as all training is provided.

The scheme runs throughout the year, and you can jump at any of the 23 approved sites around the country. The nearest are in Cambridge and Marlow.

One St Albans resident who recently took the plunge is Robyn Day, who manages the Blackberry Jack pub in St Brelade's Place, Jersey Farm.

Mrs Day, 30, did a tandem skydive along with her bar supervisor, Matthew West, 20, from Hatfield.

She said: "It took us about 20 minutes to reach an altitude of 10,000ft, then my instructor and I had to wriggle towards the door because we were secured so tightly together.

"When we reached the door he tilted us forward and we were out. It didn't feel like we were falling, funnily enough. It felt like the air was holding us up.

"I remember shouting 'Oh my God', and the air filling up my mouth. "It's like having a massive, cold hairdryer blowing in your face.

"Apparently, we were falling at 120 mph, but when the 'chute opened at about 5,000ft it felt like we had stopped dead. There was absolute silence. It was the best thing I've ever done."

For further details on jumping for the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust, call 01865 875757.

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