'A PIECE of cake' is how Sylvia Collings described her 15,000ft skydive to mark her 80th birthday and raise money for a hospice.

Sylvia, from Holbeton, took to the skies last Saturday and said: 'It went brilliantly'.

Sylvia will celebrate her birthday on October 7 and decided this was the perfect time to fulfill her goal of skydiving and raising money for St Luke's Hospice at Turnchapel, Plymstock.

She said that she has wanted to do a parachute jump 12 years ago but her husband Percy was not happy about the idea.

Percy was diagnosed with cancer and had wanted to go to the hospice but sadly died before he was moved there.

Sylvia had already completed numerous abseils to raise money for charities such as Cancer Research UK and for Breast Cancer Care.

The 79-year-old has Parkinson's but decided to mark her milestone birthday she would make her 'dream' of skydiving a reality. She said: 'I was a tiny bit scared when I was stepping out of the plane but it is all over so quickly you don't really have time to be scared.'

Sylvia said that while she had enjoyed the skydive she thought she probably wouldn't do it again.

She said: 'I put my heart and soul into this and you can't keep asking people for money'.

Sylvia had originally hoped to raise £1,000 for the charity and said she was 'surprised' when she passed £2,000 and thrilled when she passed £3,000.

She said 'I am now well past £3,000 but I haven't finished yet, I am still going!'

Sylvia, who has seven daughters, was joined on the jump at Dunkeswell airfield in East Devon by one of them, Sandra Phelan.

Sylvia said: 'My girls think that I am crazy but they are proud of what I have achieved.'

Anyone wishing to sponsor Sylvia can do so by visiting www. justgiving.com/helen-skinner2.

All money raised will be donated to St Luke's Hospice which supports patients with life-limiting illnesses and their families and carers.