Don't look down

Caroline Langmaid, the community fundraising manager of Wiltshire Blind was overwhelmed by the level of support.

One individual managed to collect £1,000.

Caroline said: "I'm thrilled with how it's gone. I'm really happy.

"Everybody involved has been really good. We have had support from a lot of people.

"It's a very sad fact that 100 people will begin to lose their sight today. We all take our sight for granted and if you thought about it, of all the senses it really is the hardest one to do without.

"I can't thank people enough for all the help they have given."

There were abseillers of all ages descending the 80 ft down the WHSmith building in Greenbridge yesterday all raising money for one cause.

And afterwards they were treated to a free meal at McDonalds.

Polly Ritchie, 58, from Stanton Fitzwarren, was abseiling for the first time.

She said: "I haven't done anything like this ever. I was a little bit nervous before but it was great. The organisers really looked after us. I just wanted to raise the money for this cause.

"Blindness is something I think is horrific and anything we can do to help is good.

"Next time I'll do a parachute jump."

Tony Hudson, 54, had collected £1,000 thanks to the generosity of his company Npower, in Windmill Hill.

"I raised £500 and the company doubled it," he said.

"I started collecting the money about three weeks ago and I've worked there a long time so I know a lot of people and they don't often say no when you ask for help."

Participants paid a £10 entry fee and everyone was asked to raise a minimum of £60.

Anna Fearon, 22, a student from Haydon Wick, was also taking part for the first time.

"It was great fun," she said. "I think everyone enjoyed it in the end and to be able to help a charity like the Wiltshire Blind Association while doing something like that is great.

"It was good to see so many people involved."

And serial charity abseiler Nick Millard, 25, a physicist from Liden, said: "I really enjoyed it. I've done a few before for different charities and I would have liked to have done it off the John Murray building but this was a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon."

First person - Adver reporter Gareth Bethell had a go at the abseil. Here's how he got on:

SUNDAYS are supposed to be a day of rest.

They exist purely for catching up on the weeks events in Hollyoaks, reading newspapers and possibly a few quiet ones down the local.

They are not meant to be spent jumping off buildings.

But when the relentless Caroline Langmaid from the Wiltshire Blind Association decided I should take part in a charity abseil I had little choice. I think she might have been a Mounty in a former life.

I don't know why she picked on me. The last time I'd done abseiling was on a school trip to Devon and even then I wasn't happy about it.

For most of the week leading up to yesterday's descent I had managed to put it out of my mind.

But as I stood at the bottom of the 80ft building watching people bounce their way down I realised what I was in for.

And I got a bit scared.

Not that there was anyway out. I was quickly handed my harness, which I can tell you was not the most comfortable thing to wear.

Up top no one was overly keen to take in the view- most just wanted to get back down to earth.

Mercifully I was second to go. Just like taking a penalty I wouldn't have fancied waiting till last and it also meant I got a nice round of applause.

Going over the edge was, as you might expect the worst bit and one of the organisers kindly pointed out that my leg was shaking so much I 'looked like Elvis'.

With that out of the way though it was easy going and I actually began to enjoy myself. Especially when I got to the bottom.

Gareth Bethell