DAREDEVIL hospital staff flew through the air for the Bolton Coronary Care Appeal when they leapt 14,000ft out of a plane.

The have-a-go parachutists staged a sponsored jump which included a scary 10,000ft free fall in tandem with instructors.

The event, at the North West Parachute Centre at Grange Over Sands, Cumbria, raised £2,256. The highest individual amount raised was £509 by registrar anaesthetist Dr Matthew Kuncharia.

The intrepid staff described the event as "good fun".

A spokesman for the appeal, which aims to raise £1 million to build a new heart unit, said: "We can only admire them, and their families and friends, for their courageous efforts. They have added a very worthwhile amount to the appeal and we would like to thank them very much."

The people who took part were: Helen Thorpe, cardiology technician; Angela Hutton, staff nurse, coronary care unit; Jason Unsworth, finance department; Dr Kuncharia; Nigel Evans, husband of Joanna Evans, cardiac rehabilitation sister; Mark Donahue; and Paul Fletcher and David Sutcliffe, who work in health records.