A 71-YEAR-OLD adrenaline junkie has smashed the Guinness World Record for the highest bungee jump into water – all in the name of charity.

Taxi driver Ray Woodcock, of Rayleigh Road, Eastwood, achieved the record on his third jump at the National Diving and Activity Centre in Chepstow.

Ray jumped 380ft – over double the previous record of 164ft – to raise money for The Taxi Drivers’ Charity Fund for Children.

He said: “After months of planning and preparation, I’m really very pleased that everything went well in the end, it’s all so worthwhile.”

The first two jumps for the record didn’t quite go to plan, with the first missing the water by around 10ft, and the second missing the record by just two inches.

The third successful jump left Ray feeling dizzy and confused, with bruising on top of his head.

Ray said: “I hit the water like a sledgehammer, I must’ve been at least 10ft under, and when I came back up I couldn’t focus.

“Then I heard a big roar of people cheering, and in that second I realised I’d got the record.

"Although I was feeling unwell, I was absolutely ecstatic.”

An ambulance was called, and within half an hour Ray was feeling well enough to celebrate his achievement.

“We’ve raised a huge amount of money so far, and we’re still collecting, so we’ve not yet tallied up the amount – we’re hoping to raise at least a couple of thousand,” he said.

Ray has conquered a number of challenges since the age of 63, which include a jungle trek through Borneo, and achieving the Guinness World Record for the highest civilian tandem sky dive at 30,000ft above the earth.

He added: “I’ve still got a few years left in me, so I’ll have to pull something even better out the bag next time.”