ELEVEN first-time skydivers are expected to land more than £2,000 for Malmesbury charity HEALS.

Six high-flyers have already taken the plunge after volunteering for the organisation’s Local Heroes initiative.

Five more will jump after taking off from an airfield near Salisbury during August.

Each skydiver has to raise £350 to take part - £175 of which pays for the jump while the rest, and any additional sponsorship, goes to HEALS, which cares for vulnerable and elderly people in the Malmesbury area.

The jumpers have so far included three local firemen Ollie Smith, Sam Pyne and Alex Reid, along with town councillor Ken Wright and local girl Stacey Price

Holly Grant, 20, the daughter of HEALS chairman Gavin Grant, also took the leap of faith.

She said: “It was without a doubt one of the best things I have ever done with my life, and it was also done for the best cause.”

Her dad said: “Watching my daughter skydive from 10,000ft was one of the most terrifying things I have ever experienced.”

Mr Grant said the first six divers had between them raised more than £1,000 for HEALS so they expected the tally to rise to over £2,000 when the remaining five hurl themselves into the sky.

*Anyone wishing to sponsor the jumpers have until tomorrow to do so before the window closes. They can do so by visiting: healsmalmesbury.com/our-local-heroes more information