HELEN Hill has ended her mayoral year with a bang – after jumping out of an aeroplane at 10,000 feet to raise money for the Farnham Food Bank.

Mrs Hill took on the tandem skydive over the Berkshire countryside to support her husband and Farnham mayor Stephen Hill's charity of the year and she has so far raised more than £1,500.

She said: "I was really excited before the jump and didn't have any nerves whatsoever. But as soon as we jumped out of the plane and started hurtling at 120mph head first towards the ground, the terror set in!

"After about five seconds, we levelled out and I really began to enjoy it. The free fall lasted about 30 seconds, followed by five minutes slowly wafting down to the ground under a parachute. It was fantastic.

"It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I was in a pretty bad way that evening with shock after it dawned on me what I'd just done, but I'd love to do it again and am so thrilled at the amount of money we've raised for the food bank."

Mrs Hill's fundraising website http://www.virginmoneygiving.com/skydivingmayoress">www.virginmoneygiving.com/skydivingmayoress will remain open for donations to the Farnham Food Bank until the end of June.