FEAR of heights will not stop a 60-year-old Bransford woman from taking to the skies to raise money for St Richard's Hospice.

Betty Hamilton will be strapped into a hang-glider and towed behind a light aircraft from Shobdon Airfield, in Herefordshire, on Saturday, April 3.

Mrs Hamilton and her instructor will then be released at 2,000ft to glide back down to the ground.

Mrs Hamilton, from Suffield Close, decided to make the flight after losing her husband Bobby to cancer two years ago.

The couple used to run market stalls selling fishing tackle in Worcester and Mrs Hamilton, who has lived in Bransford for 12 years, said her husband was well known in the county.

She is being sponsored to complete the flight by friends, neighbours and former customers and hopes to be able to hand over a cheque for around £400 to the Worcester-based hospice.

Mrs Hamilton said: "They were so wonderful at St Richard's Hospice and even afterwards. The care they gave me was fantastic and I thought I'd like to give something back.

"When my son was killed in a motorbike accident seven years ago, there was nothing I could do. But with this, I felt there was a chance to help.

"Everyone can just sit back and do nothing, but I wanted to do something to help."

Mrs Hamilton's fundraising is all the more remarkable as she does not have a head for heights.

"I'm absolutely terrified of heights," she said. "But I thought, it's no good doing something I like.

"My daughter thinks I'm going mad and my grandson thinks I'm a bit nutty, but I just felt that I wanted to do something."

Mrs Hamilton has not had any training for the flight and will be in the hands of her instructor, but she said she was trying not dwell on it.

"Every time I think about it my stomach turns over," she said.

To sponsor Mrs Hamilton, contact her on 01886 833518 or call St Richard's Hospice on 01905 763963.