TWO daredevil school dinner ladies have raised more than £1,000 for charity after completing a tandem skydive.

Kathryn Risidore, 32, from Rayleigh, and Paula Penson, 40, from Hockley, met through work at Hockley Primary School, in Chevening Gardens.

The brave duo, who have worked together for three years, both wanted to complete a skydive and decided it would be a great way to raise money for the school’s charity of the year – Little Havens Hospice.

Kathryn said: “The school council chose Little Havens for this year.

“We have a lot of links to the charity, with the ambassadors visiting there and its mascots coming in during the school year.

“It is a wonderful charity and we thought that as we worked at the school we should raise for the same charity.

“We have both wanted to do a skydive and thought that this was a great opportunity to do it.

“It is something a bit different and a bit of a challenge – not the normal sitting in a tub of beans!”

The jump took place at Beccles Airfield, in Suffolk.

Kathryn added: “We were both really excited.

“We travelled there in different cars and we were texted each other on the way.

“There was a great atmosphere when we arrived and the staff were really good.

“We never once didn’t feel safe.”

They are both still reeling from the amazing experience of the jump.

Kathryn said: “There was no time to think really.

“When you got to the edge, that was it, you couldn’t go back.

“It took your breath away at first because you were going so fast.

“You can’t breath and you realise you are falling.

“And then you are falling, and still falling, and still falling until you get used to it.

“It really was amazing.

“I think it was one of the best things I have done.

“The scenery was amazing as well.”

Both thankfully landed safely. They told the Echo they have been overwhelmed by the support they have received.

So far, they have raised £1,000, with more money to be collected.

Kathryn added: “We had only expected to raise about £300, which is the amount we needed to do the jump.

“However we have got about £1,000 and think it should rise to about £1,200 when we collect in all the money.

“We were so excited to see how much we had raised.

“We are really happy with the total.”

Little Havens, in Thundersley, cares for children or young people who have a life-threatening or life-limiting condition.

It offers respite breaks and controls pain to make patients as comfortable as possible.

You can still donate at justgiving.com/fundraising/Kathryn-Risidore