BRAVE Blackpool woman Barbara Page got a bird's eye view of the town this week as she abseiled down The Big One to raise funds for the RNLI.

The 69-year-old chairman of the Fylde & District Federation of Townswomen's Guilds took up the challenge as part of this year's 70th birthday celebrations for Townswomen whose members all over the country have been called to accept 99 tasks.

Barbara (pictured) explained to the Citizen: "I've never done anything like this before and I really enjoyed it.

"The actual request was to abseil just 54ft, but I thought this was simply not enough of a challenge.

"Originally I had wanted to abseil down the Tower which is a little higher than the Big One, but unfortunately had no reply from owners Leisure Parcs. "Then our secretary, Margaret Jay, got in touch with Geoffrey Thompson at the Pleasure Beach who said I must be mad but if I wanted to do it there wasn't a problem."

The game Bispham grandmother kept things in the family, too, with top training from her son-in-law Gunars Libeks, a mountain guide, along with Peter Long of the British Council of Mountaineer Guides who came down from Aviemore to help out.

"You might say my son-in-law engineered my downfall," laughed Barbara.

Funds raised by sponsorship for the big event will go towards the RNLI Blackpool branch and, although the full amount will not be calculated until the end of September, totals so far are reaching £600.

Barbara was glad to get her feet back on the ground after her high-flying start to the day and said of her experience: "My feet were shaking and I'm glad I was just abseiling the Big One and not riding it. I'm only sorry my three grandchildren missed it all as they are on holiday but we have it on video."

Next on the agenda for the Townswomen is a concert at Fleetwood Marine Hall on October 15.

Admission is free with a exhibition at 6.30pm and the concert at 7.30pm.

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