AN Urmston midwifery student braved dizzying heights to raise money for a charity close to her heart.

Sophie Bushell, 20, a self-confessed adrenaline junkie, completed a 15,000ft skydive to raise money for SANDS, a stillbirth and neonatal death charity, on Sunday November 22.

The Moorlands Avenue resident is currently on placement at Macclesfield Hospital Maternity Unit and her experiences – both happy and heart-breaking – drove her fundraise for the charity.

Sophie, who is studying at Chester University, said: “I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and had a permanent beaming smile for ages after. I really enjoyed the buzz it gave me leading up to the dive.

“I would like to say a big thank you to all the people who have donated and sent good wishes for the jump.

“Their donations will go a long way towards helping to raise awareness of this charity and its good work.”

Sophie, who has delivered 37 babies to date, has raised £420 for SANDS through the skydive, with the total still totting up.

Proud parents Paul and Deborah said they had a mixture of pride and fear ahead of Sophie’s jump.

Paul said: “It was only when we arrived at the Black Knights skydive centre and had watched a few of the flights take off and release their precious loads back to terra firma safely, that we started to relax a bit.

“It was still a bit nerve racking though as her flight was the 13th and last of the day but she landed back down safely. She seemed to have thoroughly enjoyed it and was happy to have raised a good amount of money for the SANDS charity.”

To make a donation visit justgiving.com/S-Bushell