A DAREDEVIL grandmother is to complete a skydive in memory of her late brother.

Vearl Neatherway, 63, and from Black Notley, lost her brother Kevin Fenn to cancer in March. He was aged just 61.

Now the daring Mrs Neatherway has decided to complete the skydive next Saturday, August 6, to raise money for Havens Hospice.

Mrs Neatherway said hospice staff had been so kind to her brother, from Leigh-on-Sea, and his family.

Mr Fenn had previously been set to complete a sky dive himself, but unfortunately had his jump cancelled twice due to bad weather.

Mrs Neatherway, a grandmother-of-four, said: “I said I wanted to do something for the hospice because they are amazing.

“Until you experience it yourself, you do not know how good the work they do is.

“They are run by donations and they do not get any money from the government.

“They were so kind to the whole family, not just to my brother.”

Mrs Neatherway has two children, one of whom will be completing the sky dive in Swindon with her.

They saw it as the perfect opportunity to tick something off her bucket list at the same time as raising vital funds for Fair Havens Hospice in Westcliff.

She said: “I have not done anything similar before.

“For a long, long time I was the person who holds the bags at the theme parks – until I went to Florida and I decided to go on everything whilst I was there.”

With the help of the Black Notley Bowling Club and Dunmow Stompers Line Dancing Club, she has already smashed her target of raising £300.

Mrs Neatherway said: “When I see a plane on the TV and you see them look down or anything my stomach flips but it is because of excitement at the moment more than nerves.

“I am not getting any younger and it is not going to get any easier.”

Mrs Neatherway and her husband Steve are not planning to stop there, and will be organising a quiz to raise further funds later this year.

To donate, visit: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/V-Neatherway. Visit www.havenshospices.org.uk for hospice information.