A pub in Oldham took part in a skydive this week to raise money for the charity Guide Dogs.

Members of Shaw Comrades Club on Manchester Road took part in the UK’s highest skydive on Wednesday (August 14) jumping 15,000 feet at Black Knights Skydiving Centre in Lancaster.

This event is just one of the many charity fundraisers the Shaw Comrades Sports Committee has organised, previously raising money for prostate cancer research, Blackpool lifeboats and Motor Neurone Disease.

Philip Hewitt, chairman of the Shaw Comrades Sports Committee, said: “Everyone enjoyed the experience thoroughly, some of them are wishing they could do it straight away again!

“It’s so fantastic that as a group of people, that us and the comrades can all get together on any event that we’re raising money for and we all stick together.

“We have got a lovely set of people that are willing to help donate and see that our local charities are looked after.”

The committee has an active role in the local community, and in February held a prostate awareness testing event, where 96 men turned up for blood tests.

(Image: Google Maps)

Helen Kostyk, 57, from Shaw said that she thought the choice of charity was ‘fantastic’ and when asked one Friday if she wanted to take part in the jump, simply replied ‘ye go on then’.

She said: “I support quite a few charities so guide dogs for the blind are a really worthwhile cause, fantastic.

“I was a little apprehensive but on the day it was brilliant, I really enjoyed it.”

She wasn’t the only one who got over their nerves for the jump, with 47-year-old Yvonne Marsden from Royton saying that although she was nervous at first, she wanted to do it again.

She said: “It’s always been on my bucket list for the past few years so when they asked me to do it I jumped at the chance.

“I’m still buzzing about it, I’m on a high now about it.”

Eric Tasker, 69, from Oldham agreed that it was a fantastic experience- once he’d put his feet on the floor.

He said: “We’ve raised money for a good cause and the turnout was really, really good.

“It’s a good club, The Comrades Club, and good people come in it.”

The total sum raised for the charity has not yet been confirmed, with further events taking place in the coming weeks to raise money for the training of guide dogs.