BURY Times reporter Karen Fraser jumped at the opportunity to raise more than £300 for a local charity.

She swapped the newspaper office for an airfield in North Lincolnshire to complete a 3,500ft parachute jump in aid of Pretswich Lions Club.

It is the first time the 26-year-old has done any "extreme sport" and she decided to take up the challenge after fellow reporters urged her on.

She said: "It is something that I have always wanted to do but the closest I have ever got to any daredevil antics is a ride on the roller coaster at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

"Surprisingly, I wasn't nervous at all when it came to jumping as we had to undergo six hours of training beforehand. The instructor made sure we knew all the safety drills and pointed out that we were more likely to have an accident falling out of bed than parachuting."

Karen is now considering completing another jump and added: "It was the most marvellous feeling when I first pushed myself out of the aeroplane before the parachute opened. I can't really remember much except automatically repeating the push-off drill.

"By the time I realised what what happening and remembered to steer, I really started to enjoy myself and I was not too far off the target after a wobbly landing.

"I would love to do it again and really concentrate on what was going on."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.