Abigail's exam party is a leap from 13,000 feet (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Abigail's exam party is a leap from 13,000 feet

TEENAGER Abigail East worked so hard at school that her parents decided she was for the high jump.

Parents Mike and Carol knew it was a childhood ambition of their 16-year-old daughter to do a tandem freefall parachute jump.

Mike, a former army Catering Warrant Officer and now landlord of the Fox Inn in Broadwell, contacted his former colleagues at the 29th Regiment Royal Logistic Corps Silver Stars parachute team at South Cerney, near Cirencester, and fixed it for Abigail to make the 13,000ft jump.

"I left the army two years ago and she used to come up and see the parachutists. She always wanted to do it," said Mike, who was awarded an MBE in the Queen's Jubilee Honours.

"I always remembered that and when she'd finish her GCSEs I sprang it on her as a surprise," added Mike.

Cotswold School pupil Abigail suggested she turn her surprise into a fundraising event for her favourite charity, Macmillan Cancer Care Nurses, which she calls "Nana's charity" in memory of Mike's mum, who died from cancer 18 months ago.

And thanks to the support of friends and pub regulars, plucky Abigail, who did the jump earlier this month, succeeded in raising more than £800.

Mike said: "I'm particularly proud she suggested raising the money for charity. She thought the jump was amazing."