A DAREDEVIL great grandad is preparing for a death-defying world-record-breaking bungee jump for charity.
Cab driver Ray Woodcock, 71, intends to dive 400ft into water to raise cash for the Taxi Drivers’ Charity Fund for Children.
Fearless Ray, of Rayleigh Road, Eastwood, who has two children, six grandchildren and one great grandchild, will attempt the feat on Sunday at the National Diving Activity Centre, in Chepstow, Gloucestershire.
No stranger to a challenge, Ray has already climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, driven a team of huskies 250km across the Arctic and achieved the world’s highest civilian tandem sky dive.
He said: “I won’t be too nervous.
I’m used to it with all these adventures. I started when I was 63 and I’m still going.”
The current world record is held by Zhang Di, of China, who jumped 164ft from a helicopter in November 2006.
Ray said: “I’ll have a one-hour slot where they’ll take me up.
I’ll do a test jump so they can see how far my body is immersed and then the next jump will be for the world record.”
The Taxi Drivers’ Charity Fund for Children holds events for sick and disabled children and takes 150 youngsters on an annual outing by taxi.
Its president, Brian Houssart, said: “Ray is phenomenal for what he’s done over the years.
He’s a great guy and he’s done some wonderful things, though it does worry us that he’s never done a bungee jump before!”
Ray raises money year-round bgiving talks on his experiences at schools and nursing homes He said: “The more I’ve done, the more I can talk about.”
To donate, visit www.southendtaxidriverscharityfund.co.uk.
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