Audrey GriffithsA 68-year-old great-grandmother is taking the plunge for charity by abseiling down a 90ft cliff.

Audrey Griffiths, of Longfield Road, Trowbridge will be joined by close friend Fred Marriatt, 71, when they take part in the daredevil event at Wookey Hole on July 3 to help Children's Hospice South West raise £15m for a new care home.

Mrs Griffiths's younger sister died of leukaemia when she was a child and she was keen to do her bit for fundraising.

Both she and Mr Marriatt have the full support of their partners, who say they would be joining them if their health permitted.

Mrs Griffiths' eldest daughter Gwyneth is returning home to watch her mother in action, after spending the past year in Spain, and Mr Marriatt's four children have also been very supportive of their father. He said: "I'm not feeling nervous at all, there's no reason why I can't do it."

Mrs Griffiths told the Wiltshire Times she has always wanted to abseil so decided last year that she would do it for Babe's Big Appeal, which aims to build a new hospice near Bristol.

She admits she is not a fan of all extreme sports, insisting that parachuting and potholing do not appeal to her, but she hopes the abseil will raise a substantial amount towards the new home.

She said: "I lost my two-year-old sister to leukaemia when I was six and there wasn't an organisation like Children's Hospice back then."

Her partner-in-climb moved to Wiltshire 48 years ago with his wife June, and met John Griffiths through work.

The two couples have since become close friends through the Trowbridge 50+ Club, which was founded by the Marriatts 10 years ago.

The Korean war veteran said: "Audrey told us what she was going to do and I thought, why don't I give it a go?

"I've had a good life and retired at 50, so why not help these kids have a better one."

The Children's Hospice was set up in 1995 to care for children who suffer from life limiting and life threatening conditions.

The current site at Little Bridge House in Barnstaple, offers "respite, relaxation, friendship and a sense of community" for more than 200 children and their parents.

There are over 800 children with life-limiting and threatening conditions in the south west, which is far too many for one centre to cope with.

l Anyone who would like to sponsor Mrs Griffiths and Mr Marriatt can do so by contacting the Wiltshire Times.