Wigan bus drivers take the plunge for charity

Five employees from Stagecoach’s Wigan depot braved a skydive and jumped out of an aeroplane at 13,000ft.

Chloe Roper joined her mother Joyce King and fiance Jamie Sinclair, along with colleagues James Turner and Darren Tanswell, to take on the nerve-jangling challenge.

They were responding to a plea from the depot’s charity champion Hayley McLean for brave volunteers to try parachuting in order to raise money for Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.

While this is the firm’s chosen charity, it was particularly poignant as Darren’s niece was diagnosed with cancer several years ago at the age of three and Chloe and Joyce take on the challenge in memory of a young relative.

The group made plans to take part in the jump at Black Knights Parachute Centre in Cockerham, but bad weather meant it was cancelled.

Fortunately, conditions improved enough for them to complete the jump the following day.

Hayley said: “They loved it. There were a few people who wanted to go back up.”

While they are still counting up the donations, they are delighted to have raised around £1,600 for the hospital.

Hayley said: “We are very pleased with that.

“They only expected to raise £200 each to do the jump and they have beaten that.”

The skydive was the depot’s latest fund-raiser for the charity, with a Valentine’s event raising £165 earlier this year.

The drivers are already looking forward to dressing as Father Christmas once again during the festive period and collecting donations from passengers as they hop aboard.