AN eight-year-old girl has abseiled down Roseberry Topping to raise money for the air ambulance.

Poppy Whitehouse, a pupil at Crooksbarn Primary School, in Norton, said she wanted to raise money for the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) in support of the lifesaving work they do.

She abseiled down from the top of the distinctive landmark with her godfather, Chris Jones, a former paramedic.

Poppy said: “I was scared but I would do it again. I wanted to support GNAAS because they do such a good job.”

Poppy and Mr Jones climbed to the top of Roseberry Topping along with her mother Caroline, father David, sister Tilly, aged four, brother Henry, three, Caroline’s mother, Susan Padgett, and Mr Jones’ wife, Helen, before the pair abseiled down the south-east corner.

York Press:

She handed over £225 to the air ambulance service which operates three helicopters, every day of the year, across the North-East, North Yorkshire and Cumbria. GNAAS crews respond to around 1,000 call outs each year with specialist trauma doctors and paramedics on board bringing accident and emergency expertise to the scene.

Mrs Whitehouse said: “Poppy’s a bit of an adventure head but she doesn’t just do things for fun, she always wants to do them for a reason and that’s why she supported GNAAS. She’s so thoughtful. I’m so proud of her.

“Her godfather, who used to be a paramedic, has told her a lot about the air ambulance and mountain rescue and so she knows how much they help people, especially those in remote locations, and so she wanted to do something for them.

“She’s braver than I am.”

York Press:

Poppy visited GNAAS’ Durham Tees Valley Airport base with her parents, where she saw the aircraft return after a call-out in Seaham.

She handed over a large cheque to pilot, Jay Steward, and paramedic, Paul Burnage.

Mr Steward said: “I hope when Poppy sees the aircraft in the sky she feels proud.”